Diana
by rosetylerandthedoctor
Summary: Sorry about the title-I'm bad at making them up! I'm imagining the FAYZ never happened, but Diana is pregnant with Caine's baby. Just read it to find out what it's about-I can't do summeries Rated for swearing and pregnancy! I'm having horrible writer's block on this story at the moment-sorry that you guys are having to wait so long for an update! WARNING: Femslash in this story!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! This is my first Gone fanfiction. I always thought Diana would come from a kind of problem family, where the parents weren't together, and her mom had been a teenager when Diana was born etc etc...**

**Anyway, I thought I would write this random fic! I've written the first two chapters already, so when this one's up, hopefully the next one will be too!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gone**

**Enjoy!**

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I'm not stupid. I knew my parents were going to be furious, when they found out. I lived with my dad, because my parents had split up ages ago, when I was about 3.

So dad found out first. He came to pick me up for the summer break. I may or may not have made out with Caine to annoy him. He's dead protective. Which is why he was going to freak.

But first, I was going to freak. Because he had a surprise for me, too.

"Diana, I have something to tell you." He said, before we reached the car.

"What?" I have to admit I was a little tense. Dad _was_ going to kill me when he knew my secret.

"I'm married!"

My mouth fell open, "Excuse me?"

"Your new stepmom is in the car."

"No. That is not happening."

"I know-it's exciting!"

He doesn't seem to see my shake my head, firmly.

"And wait, it gets better…"

I translate this to 'it gets worse' in my head.

"You have two new stepsisters!"

"Perfect." I tell him, sarcastically, "Just like in Cinderella."

He frowns at me, "Why can't you just be happy for me, Diana?"

I consider. That's a good thing to say to him after breaking my own news.

We get to the car, and I see a horrible sight. My father's new wife is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Barbie doll, looking far too much like that bitch, Astrid, for my liking. And the daughters look just as bad.

I smile at the thought of my dad's face when he finds out.

We climb into the car, me in the back next to the two blonde sisters.

"Diana, this is Miranda, your stepmom, and Susan and Lynn, your stepsisters."

"Hello, Diana, honey." Miranda flashes me a fake smile, "I've heard so much about you! I practically know everything about you!"

"Oh, I very much doubt that." I mutter under my breath, before speaking up.

"Well, father. This is quite an exciting surprise! It seems you've been doing lots of things while I was away! But I won't get mad-everyone should be allowed to do whatever they want to their bodies, or their lives, right?"

I can see him smiling, "Yes, that's perfectly right, Di. I'm glad you understand."

I smile back, sweetly, "Well, I have a really exciting surprise for you and mom! Although, I guess I'll have to call her."

"Oh? And what is this exciting surprise?" he asks, drinking a coke.

"I'm pregnant." I tell him.

He spits the coke out and yells, "What?" Miranda gasps.

"You heard me, dad. You're going to be a grandpa!"

He pulls over immediately, and turns around in his seat.

"Diana Ladris, you are 15 years old! That's not even legally old enough to have a baby!"

"But I thought we should all be allowed to do whatever we want to our bodies and lives." I tell him.

"Who's the dad?" my father asks immediately.

"My boyfriend, who did you think?"

"I can't believe you! Does the school know about this? Your mother is going to be so disappointed in you, young lady."

"Why can't you just be happy for me, Dad?"

"Because you are throwing away your whole life!" he yells.

Miranda grabs his shoulder and rubs his arm, "Look, honey, I know Diana has made a pretty huge mistake, but look on the bright side! I've always wanted to be a grandma, and now look at my luck! I've got my own little grandchild on the way!"

My eyes narrow. Oh, _hell_ no! "Excuse me. You've come into my family, taking my mom's place and stealing my dad, but you can't stake claims on my baby. Its gran is going to be my mom, not you!"

Dad glares at me, "How _dare_ you, Diana? Miranda was being really kind, defending you, although you really don't deserve it, and yet you treat her like that?"

"You're acting like I wanted a stepmom!" I argued, "The baby isn't going to be in any way related to your wife." I make a point of not using the word stepmom.

"But Diana, sweetie." Miranda starts, "You can't take a baby back to Coates with you! You'll have to leave the baby with me, and so the child will grow up thinking of me as its grandma."

I snort, "You honestly think I'll leave my kid with _you_? No chance! During the time when I'm away at Coates, Caine's mom can look after the baby."

Miranda gives a fake little sob, "I only want to help you, Diana."

My dad glares at me hard, and as I refuse to look away, he raises his hand and slaps my face.

I don't react. I'm used to him hitting me for being insolent.

"Why don't we go home?" I say, keeping my voice completely steady, because I know, childish as it is, it will infuriate him that he's not getting a rise out of me.

He steps on the gas, and we zoom home.

When we get into the house, I make a beeline for bedroom. The walls are painted deep purple and my bed in a double bed with deep blue pillowcases and a matching duvet cover.

I have a small desk against one wall, with a hot pink spinning chair, which my mom's mom gave me for my 10th birthday. I know-it's incredible that I haven't broken it yet.

On the desk I have my jewellery boxes, and a bunch of photo frames of my parents and I, along with other family members, before they broke up and spoiled everything and of course, my favourite picture of Caine and I. My dad hated the picture before, but he'll hate it even more now. He probably would of thrown it out, but I keep my bedroom key with me at all times, including when I go to Coates.

I also have a rainbow coloured couch in one corner and a walk in wardrobe with mirror doors. I mean, it's mostly mirror doors, but I'll admit, there are far too many stickers and pictures stuck on it. There are plenty other cute accessories everywhere, and I flop onto the bed, happy to be home, although not with Miranda and her daughters.

I am about to get up, when my door bursts open. Miranda.

"Can't you knock?" I demand, "There are plenty of keep out signs."

"Yes, I couldn't help noticing." Miranda informs me, "But listen. I don't care what happens, you are going to treat me with respect, Diana. You're going to stop being vulgar and your baby can't spend all of its time with another woman, this 'Caine' person's mother. Who is he, anyway?"

"The baby's dad." I tell her, drily, trying to make her as uncomfortable as humanely possible.

"Ah." She seems lost for words.

"Look, _Miranda_."

"Mom." She corrects.

"Lets get this straight." I say, "Are you my mother?"

"Yes." She tells me.

I sigh, "I guess we'll have to start even simpler. Did you give birth to me?"

She bites her lip, "Well, no, but…"

I cut her off, "then you aren't my mother. So I won't call you mom."

She looks down.

"Anyway. As I was saying, you have no relation to my baby, or me. You're just some blonde, Barbie-doll bimbo that my idiot dad married."

"Your father would like to speak to you." She tells me, head tilted downwards.

"Whatever." I respond, happy to have won the argument.

When she leaves, I wait about 5 minutes, until my dad has to call me down, "Diana! Get your arse down here this instant!"

I then slope down the stairs, as slowly as I can.

"Call your mother." He holds the phone out to me.

"Oh, for God's sake, Dad. Mom won't care nearly as much as you. She was only 16 when she had me."

"At least that's legal, Diana."

I roll my eyes and grab the phone, quickly dialling mom's number.

"Hello?" I breathe out a sigh of relieve that it's mom, not Daniel, her boyfriend.

"Hi, mom." I say, cheerily.

"Oh, hey Diana! How was school, honey?"

"Okay. In fact, better than okay."

"That's great! So why are you calling? I'm pretty busy right now."

"Dad wanted me to call and give you some big news."

"What's that?"

"He's married and I have two stepsisters!"

My dad glares at me.

"What?" I hear the surprise in mom's voice, and then she stops, "I'm pretty sure that's not what your dad wanted you to tell me."

"Oh yeah, and I'm pregnant."

I hear mom gasp, "You? You're pregnant?"

"Yup." I pop the p at the end.

"Well, I'm very shocked with you, but, hon, I'm gonna have to come round and see you. I know it sounds like I'm a terrible mother, but I'm not having another woman trying to raise my grandchild. Congrats, sweetie!"

"Thanks, mom!" I grin at my dad's confused expression.

"No probs, Diana! Now, Daniel and I are going to come over right now! I _have_ to see you!"

"Kay! See you soon, mom! Love you."

I hang up, and turn to dad, "She's more angry with you than she is with me. And she's coming over. Like now."

I laughed at the expressions on the faces of my dad and his new family.

I wait, on my phone, texting Caine for about an hour and a half, and then the door opens.

"Mom!" I call, running over and hugging her.

"Hey, Diana." She replies.

"Congratulations, Diana." Daniel says, smiling at me.

"Thanks!"

Dad walks over to the door, "Lucy? Why the hell are you here?"

"I have a right to see my daughter too, you know."

Miranda then just _has_ to stalk over.

"Who's this, honey?"

"Diana's mother." Dad replies, through clenched teeth.

Mom looks Miranda up and down, and then sniffs.

"I'm two weeks in." I tell mom.

"Awww!" mom kneels down in front of me and rubs my belly, "Hello, little baby! I'm your grandma!"

"Well, I'm glad you're here. Dad hasn't been the most supportive person in the world." I tell her.

"Well, you can always come to ours! You still have the key to your bedroom, I think." Mom tells me.

I consider. I do prefer mom to dad, right now, at least, and Daniel is thousands better than Miranda and her kids.

"That's not a bad idea." I tell her.

"I have custody of Diana, Lucy." Dad butts in.

"Well, it's up to Diana." Mom retorts, "And she'll have far more support with us than with you! I already know how to cope with teen pregnancies! I'll help her more than you will."

"I was a teen mom, too." Miranda interrupts.

"I don't care." I tell her, "You aren't my mom."

Mom gives Miranda a kind of 'ha-ha' look.

"If you leave, Diana, I'll give your room to Susan." Dad tells me, earning a smirk from Susan.

"Then I can't come and live with you ever again." I tell him.

"Fine!" He says, "You can go for a while, but the next time you come home from school, your coming back here."

"Whatever." I tell him, running upstairs to get some of my stuff.

As I'm packing, I get an unwelcome visitor.

"Hello, Diana."

I turn around. Susan is standing there. She's about my age, I think.

"What the hell do you want?" I demand.

"You're a slut." She tells me.

"What do you give?"

"Your only 15 and your pregnant. It's shameful, that's what mom said."

"Here's some news for you, Barbie. I don't give a single shit what your mom said. She's a whore too."

"I bet you don't even know who the baby's freaking dad is!"

"Weren't you listening in the car?" I demand, "The dad is my boyfriend."

Susan picks up the picture of Caine and I kissing.

"Is that your boyfriend, then?" she asks.

"What's it to you?"

"He cute."

"He'd kill you for saying that."

She snorts, "Well, I don't care what you say, I'm going to tell all my friends that I'm going to be an auntie."

"And I'll tell all your friends that you're a skanky little slut."

"You don't know my friends." Susan tells me, "You only know the psychos from Coates."

"Excuse me?" I growl.

"Well, everyone is always saying it down here, all you Coates kids are psychopaths."

"How's this for psychotic?" I ask under my breath, and slap her face, grabbing her long blonde air at the same time, and yanking her head backwards.

She screams, and I clamp my hand over her mouth, but I'm too late.

Miranda and Dad come running up the stairs, Mom following.

"Susan?" Dad calls, "Are you okay?"

Mom glares at him, "It's disgraceful that you put that kid before your own daughter!"

"She was the one screaming, Lucy!"

"Do you honestly think that matters, Kyle?"

"Use your eyes, woman!" Dad cries, "Diana is ripping poor Susan's hair out!"

"I don't care!" mom retorts, "Good going, Di."

I let Susan's hair go, banging her head on the wall.

"What stuff do you think I'll need, Mom?" I ask.

"Oh, not much." She replies, "The two of us can go shopping for new stuff tomorrow."

I grin. One definite upside of being with mom and not dad was that Daniel and Mom both had very well paying jobs, and could afford huge shopping sprees.

"I'll just take the essentials." I decide.

The 'essentials' end up being my blankie (for the baby, obviously), my first teddy (also for my baby), a couple of my favourite outfits, my Coates uniforms, and my picture of me and Caine, just to annoy Dad.

Once it's all in my case, I follow mom out to her car locking my bedroom door behind me.

We drive for an hour to get back to her house, and I'm straight off to my old room. The walls are orange with little pink and purple flowers all over them. The bed is a bunk bed with a sofa under it, instead of another bed.

I smile. Mom now has the house that we lived in before the break-up, so I had this room when I was 3.

I stick my picture o the wall with some barely-sticky blu-tack, and throw the suitcase down on the pink heart-shaped fluffy rug in the middle of the beige-carpeted floor.

"Diana, babe?" Mom calls up the stairs.

"Yeah?" I call back.

"You want something to eat?"

"Sure." I start to walk down the stairs.

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**So, there you go! How was that? Review please!**

**Toodles-  
**

**Sophia xo  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for coming to the 2nd chapter! Enjoy it!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: Nothing has changed since chapter 1. I still don't own Gone, as much as I would like to...  
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**7 weeks later**

"Bye, mom!" I call, waving to mom and Daniel, who are standing outside of the car, "Bye, Daniel! See you later!"

I can feel their eyes still on me as Caine comes over and kisses me.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in ages." He tells me.

"You saw me last week." I remind him.

"Whatever." He shakes his head, "So your dad's still angry at you."

"Yeah. He was furious about the baby, and he's still annoyed with me choosing mom over him."

"How far are you in, then?" he asks me.

"9 weeks."

"So…how long do you have left?"

"Can't you do the maths, Caine? It's 40 weeks altogether."

"31 weeks then?"

I nod, "That's about right."

"Cool." I yank me suitcase after me, as we go in, and he does the same.

**30 weeks and 3 days later**

I've been really jumpy lately. My belly is gigantic, and I'm dead protective of the bump. If anyone dared to even touch it, they'd get it from me, and Caine.

All the teachers stare when I walk in, and it's really getting on my nerves.

Caine finds me quickly at lunch.

"How are you doing?" he asks.

"Not great. The baby will not leave me in peace! It's been kicking like crazy all day, and I'm really craving cookies."

"Uh, I can get you cookies, probably."

I groan, "Never mind."

He turns to talk to Drake, and I sit, rubbing my tummy and inwardly complaining to myself.

And then I feel something dribble down my leg. I look down, and gasp. Oh God, no. Not now!

"Shit!" I cry.

Caine turns to face me, "What?"

I gesture to the water running down my legs.

He bites his lip and says, "Go to the toilet Diana."

I give him my most withering look, "Don't be an idiot! Get me to the nurse-now!"

"Why? What's wrong?"

I sigh at his stupidity, "My water's broke, dumbass! I'm having the baby!"

I shout the last sentence, and everyone starts at me.

Then the first lot of contractions come, and I scream in pain.

A teacher runs up, and Caine helps her get me to the nurse.

I lie on a bed, screaming my head off, and squeezing Caine and the nurse's hands off.

"Keep pushing, sweetie." The nurse tells me, "Keep pushing. Come on, you can do it."

I scream. This hurts sooo bad. I am never doing this, ever again.

"I can see the head, honey, your doing good. Breathe, sweetheart, and push!"

I push and push and push, and then I hear crying. The pain starts to ease away, and I lie back, exhausted.

"Are you okay, Diana?" Caine asks, massaging his mangled hand.

"Sorry." I whisper.

"No problem." He bites his lip, looking at the baby.

"She's a girl." The nurse tells me.

I lift my head up about an inch, and smile.

The baby is sniffling a little as the nurse wraps her in a blanket and hands her to me.

I stop being Diana for that second. I stop being a bitchy I-don't-care girl, and, just for a second, I feel like a proper mom.

"She's so small." Caine whispers.

"She's actually a healthy size." The nurse informs him.

She gently lifts the baby out of my arms, to weigh her, and I feel an overwhelming feeling of wanting my little girl back.

The nurse nods, "She's about 7 pounds, which is a perfectly normal weight for a new born."

The nurse brings our daughter back over, and this time Caine gets to hold her.

"What are we going to call her?" he asks, tearing his eyes away from the baby to look at me.

I shrug, "When I was little, I always wanted a baby girl. I used to tell my mom and dad I would call her Annie."

He smiles, "I like Annie."

I turn my head sideways and look at her, "Hi Annie."

Annie and me are supposed to stay in the nurse's room for the rest of the day, so I get to go back to sleep, with Annie beside me.

The next day, I call my mom to tell her the news.

"Hi mom."

"Hey, honey, you doing okay?"

"Well, yesterday was tough, but right now I'm so happy I could freeze time."

I can almost see her jaw drop, "You had the baby?"

"Yes. She's a girl, she's 7 pounds, and we named her Annie."

I hear mom sob, "Oh, Diana. I'm so proud of you!"

A tear rolls down my face.

"I am coming straight up to the school, sweetie, I will see you as soon as possible!"

I hang up with a quick goodbye, and then pull a face at Caine.

"Do I have to call my dad?"

"Yeah." He tells me.

I pass Annie over, and dial dad's number.

"Hello?" It's not dad's voice.

"Who is this?" I demand.

"I'm Miranda Ladris."

I groan, "I have to speak to Kyle Ladris."

"Who is this, exactly?"

"Just get Kyle Ladris on the phone."

I hear the phone being passed over.

"Hello?" Now it's dad.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Diana?"

"I'm your only daughter."

"Shouldn't you be in class, Diana?" he sounds irritated.

"I just thought you should know something."

"What it is?"

"I had the baby."

"You did?" his voice is worried, "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

I smile at his concern, "We're both fine. She a girl, and she's perfectly healthy. We called her Annie."

Hearing him crying, "I'm coming up to see you Diana. I'll be there soon," surprises me.

"Ok. See you soon."

I turn to Caine "I've got two parents coming. I just hope Dad doesn't bring Miranda and her daughters."

I hold Annie while Caine calls his parents, and both of them fuss about me and the baby being healthy, just like my parents did.

"So, we have four parents coming." I laugh, "I'm just happy it's over."

"Me too. My hand hurts."

I'm pretty sure all our parents must have been speeding to get here so fast.

My mom comes in first, followed by Daniel.

"Diana! How are you?" she gasps when she sees Annie, "Oh my goodness, she is so beautiful! Just like her mommy!"

I let mom hold Annie, and then Daniel.

Then dad gets here, followed by Miranda, Susan and Lynn.

I whisper to the nurse and she nods, "I'm sorry, direct family only. Diana is still very weak from giving birth."

I can tell that Miranda wants to stay and argue, but she nods, reluctantly, and leaves the room.

Dad kisses the top of my head, and hugs me, taking the baby back from mom.

"She looks like you did when you were born, Di. But you were in a hospital, not a school." He laughs.

Caine's parents arrive next, and they both hug him, and then me, cooing over Annie, and telling us what a beautiful name she has.

"Yes," mom agrees, "I remember you naming all of your baby dolls Annie, Diana. It's such a sweet name!"

"She looks like a baby doll." I say.

"She's perfect." Caine's mom tells me.

"I'm sure that the head would let you all stay here for the rest of the day, and maybe Diana should go home and rest for a while before she comes back to school. Having a baby is very difficult, especially for someone as young as her."

"Of course." Dad agrees, "She can come home with me."

Mom looks like she's about to argue, but I say, "Mom, you have to come and stay with us too. I'm going to need help with Annie."

She smiles, "No problem."

"Do you need help getting out to the car, Diana?" Dad asks.

"I think I'm okay. Caine can take Annie."

I find it quite a struggle to get to the car, but I manage, and dad gets Miranda in the back so that Annie and I can sit next to him.

"What's the baby called?" Miranda asks me.

When I ignore her, she repeats her question to dad.

"Annie." He answers.

"Oh! How precious! May I hold her, Diana sweetie?"

I frown, cradling Annie; "I'm not passing my baby in a car."

"Oh. Yes. Right."

When we get home, I notice Miranda and her daughters are all staring at Annie.

"May I see her?" Lynn asks.

I consider. Lynn is about 7.

"Well, sit down, then."

She obeys, and I hand Annie to her, getting her to put her hand under the baby's head.

"She's cute."

"I know."

I stroke Annie's face. Her eyes open and she looks around.

Lynn gives Annie back to me, and then Susan comes over.

"Let me see her."

I glare at her.

"No."

"Oh, go on, Diana." Dad whispers.

"Sorry Dad." I tell him, "I can't help it. Maternal care and stuff."

He bites his lip.

"Lynn can see her because she's never said anything in anyway offensive to me," I say, looking in Susan's direction, pointedly.

"May I hold her, Diana?" Miranda asks again.

I give her a hard look and hug Annie closer, "No."

"Diana." Dad uses his warning tone.

"Annie needs a cot." I say, changing the subject.

"Well, your mother has your old one."

"Well, that's good. Did you bring all that stuff I got for Annie from that baby shower a couple weeks ago?"

"No, it's all back at the school." I sigh.

As if on cue, Mom comes in, Daniel helping her carry my old cot, which I notice is full of baby things.

"Do you want Annie in your room, honey? Because babies tend to keep you up all night." Mom asks.

"Well, I'll try it for one night." I say.

"She can sleep in my room if you want." Miranda suggests.

Mom glares at her "I'll have my granddaughter if Diana needs sleep."

"How about me and you alternate having Annie in our rooms?" I ask.

"Good plan." Mom agrees.

"I'm going to rest." I say, taking Annie up to my room.

Daniel follows me, holding the cot.

"Thanks." I tell him, "Can you hold her for a second?"

He takes Annie, and I empty the cot of all the baby toys and clothes.

"Do you want me to put her in the cot?" Daniel asks.

"I'm going to sleep with her, I think." I say.

I lie on the bed, and Daniel places Annie beside me, gently.

And, as I lie with my little baby, I could not possibly be happier.

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**Was that cute or what? Leave me a review to make my day!**

**Toodles-  
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**Sophia xo  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**So I'm finally updating. Sorry about the wait! It's not that great a chapter, and the ending is kinda crap, because I wasn't sure how to end it...I'll get another chapter out as soon as possible, but that may not be too soon, just be warned...  
**

**This chapter moves along pretty quickly, and by the end Annie's in a new school. I bet it's impossible to guess which one..  
**

**Anyway, enjoy!  
**

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**Almost 1 year later**

"Happy Birthday, Annie!" I walk through to Annie's room.

We're still living in my dad's house, but Annie now has her own bedroom. She can stand almost on her own, although she usually has to hold onto something. She can very almost walk by herself, but she does fall down sometimes.

She's standing up in her cot, holding onto the side.

"Mommy!" she cries.

I lift her up and out of the cot.

"Everyone's coming to see you on your big day!" I tell her.

Caine had gotten here last night, along with 'Nana and Papa.' She called my parents 'MeMaw and Pappy'.

Annie was very like me, or so my parents tell me. She is very determined to walk down the stairs.

I hold her hand and help her half way down the stairs, but then she wants to be carried the other half of the way down.

"Daddy!" she yells when she sees him, and I help her over.

He picks her up, "Oh, hi Annie! How old are you today?"

"I 1!" she tells him, excitedly.

"That's right!" he grins at her, and gives her a big parcel.

She grabs it and tears it open, to find a new teddy bear, a huge one.

She gets plenty new teddies, toys, and Lynn has saved up her money to get Annie a toy necklace.

Lynn was the only of the three girls on Dad's side that Annie and I liked. She was like an older cousin. I had kind of distanced myself and my baby from Susan and her mom, but Lynn and Annie liked to play together.

**6 years and 3 months later later**

"Annie! School!"

I sit down at the kitchen table. Caine and I got our own house almost a year ago. Annie was now 7 years old. She was in 2nd Grade, and, unfortunately, she was very like Caine and I. We were always up at her school for something.

The worst was when she had found the scissors, and cut half the hair off the head of a girl who called her ugly.

"I think she'll be at Coates when she's 11." I muttered to Caine each time.

"We have to leave in 5 minutes, Annie!" Caine yells.

"I'm coming." She calls back.

A couple of minutes later, Annie comes down the stairs as noisily as humanely possible.

I groan. "Annie! I have a headache."

"Whoops!" she says, grabbing her toast and her school bag.

"Here's your dinner money." Caine gives her a couple dollars, "Remember. That's for your lunch."

"Cool." She takes the money, and puts it in her pocket.

"Caine, will you give her a lift to school?" I ask.

"Sorry, I'm running late for work."

I sigh, "Okay. Have a good day."

"You too." He kisses me, while Annie says, "Yuck!"

"Come on, Ann, Let's go." I say, pushing her a little to get her out of the door.

"But mom!" she moans, "I haven't finished breakfast yet."

"You can finish it in the car." I tell her.

She reluctantly climbed in, "Mom."

"Yeah?"

"Kylie just got a baby brother."

"That's nice, honey."

"I want a little brother or sister."

"No, Annie."

"Why not?"

"Because that is up to Mom and Dad, not you."

"Why?"

"That's just how it is."

She groans. "I knew you would say that."

"Then why did you ask?"

"It was worth a try." She mutters.

I shake my head at her, "Okay, Ann. Here we are. Be good!"

"Bye, Mom!"

"Bye."

I drive back home.

**4 years later**

Caine and I were up at the headmistress' office. Again.

"She's a very violent child." The teacher says, biting her lip, "We have had quite a few incidents, and some parents don't want their children in the same school as her. I'm very sorry, but I'll have to expel her. Maybe you should try Coates Academy."

I sigh, "Yes. Thanks, Miss Alistair."

"She really is becoming very dangerous, you know." Miss Alistair continues, "The other day she was caught with another girl's school bag. Later on, the girl who the bag belonged to told us that her mobile phone and her purse were gone. When we searched Annie, she had both!"

I bite my lip.

"I'm very sorry about all that." Caine answers.

Miss Alistair gave us a pitying look, "I'm very sorry about this Miss Ladris and Mr Soren."

"Never mind." I say.

We go outside, and I grab Annie's hand.

"Mom! Don't!"

"You're going to Coates." Caine tells her.

Her jaw drops, "I don't wanna go there. None of my friends are there."

"This is your own fault, Ann." I remind her, "Besides, it's not all bad. I met your Dad there."

She ignored me, and climbed into the back of the car.

Instead of driving home, Caine starts to drive in Coates' direction.

"Where are we going, Dad?" Annie demands.

"We are going to register you for your new school." Caine replies.

**A week later**

**Annie POV**

Today, I started my new school. The one for bad kids.

Mom and Dad both came to say bye, and Mom insisted on hugging me. I'm sure that was to deliberately embarrass me.

I go inside, dragging my suitcase after me. The lady at the front office sighs.

"You're Diana and Caine's kid, aren't you?" she asks.

I nod.

"Well, I hope you're not as bad as they were." She mutters, "I'm Mrs Hazel."

Mrs Hazel beckons another girl over, "Chandini, would you mind showing Miss…" she paused, "Is it Ladris or Soren? Your parents aren't married, are they?"

"No." I tell her, "It's Annie Ladris-Soren."

"Miss Ladris-Soren around?"

Chandini, who has chocolate brown eyes and strawberry blonde hair, groans, "Do I have to, Miss?"

"Yes."

Chandini groans louder, "Fine."

I follow her through the main hall, and past the school nurse's office.

"You were born in there, weren't you?" Chandini asks.

"I guess." I reply.

"You're weird." She tells me.

"How come?" I demand, annoyed.

"I dunno. You just are." Chandini shrugs.

I frown at the girl, "_You're_ weird."

"Why are you here?" Chandini asks, after giving me a fierce glare.

"Cuz all the parents at my old school didn't want me there. And I cut a girl's hair off with scissors and stole some stuff out of another girl's school bag."

She looks at me funny, "I got sent here because I talked back to my mom too much, and I tried to slap her."

I shrug, "My mom doesn't care if I do that stuff."

"But your mom's Diana Ladris." Chandini tells me, "She doesn't count."

"Yeah, she does." I retort, "She's my mom, and she's a hundred times nicer than your mom!"

"No, she can't be." Chandini said, "My mom was always good, and now she has a lot of money."

"My mom has a lot of money too." I lie.

Chandini snorts "Right."

"You can't say anything about my mom!" I cry, "You've never met her!"

"My big brother did." Chandini tells me, "He went here when she did. Your dad too. He said they were psycho sadist weirdoes. He said everyone should stay away from you."

"My mom and dad are really nice. I know them way better than your stupid brother."

"Don't call my brother stupid!" she shrieks.

A scary man in a suit steps out of a door.

"Now you've done it." Chandini hisses in my ear.

"Miss Alexander." The man addresses Chandini, "I have heard you shouting."

"Sorry, sir." She mutters.

He looks at me and frowns, "Are you Annie?"

I nod. He looks me up and down.

"I didn't even need to ask. You like very much like your mother."

I nod again.

"Where is your first class?" he asks.

I look at my timetable and say, "Music."

"Miss Alexander. Take Miss Ladris-Soren to her first class."

"Fine." She mutters angrily.

* * *

**So, there you are! My new update! I'll get the next chapter up quickly, if I can. I might not be able to, just so you aren't disappointed.**

**I hope you liked this, anyway. Please review for me!**

**Bye,  
**

**Sophia xo  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! The new update! Yay! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, but special thanks to immortus, who has kept on pestering me about updating, and the main idea for this chapter came from them! So thanks! Anyway, enjoy!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I'm still saving for buying the Gone series from Michael Grant, so it's not mine...yet!  
**

* * *

**1 term later**

I got used to the school a lot quicker than I thought I would. Chandini and I still fall out a lot, but we're friends now, and we share a dorm.

We go outside together, dragging our suitcases behind us, glad it's the Christmas break.

I see my mom's car, and run over to it.

Mom gets out and gives e a hug, "I missed you, Annie."

I hug her back, and then push her away. She sighs, and lifts my suitcase into the car. We drive home, and I tell her about everything that happened at Coates.

When we get home, my dad gives me another hug, and I go upstairs to unpack.

I hear someone go outside and the door closing. I look out of my window and see my dad get into a car. I can't see who's in it, but it's probably someone from his work.

After I've half-unpacked, I go to sleep. I'm woken a while later by loud crying. I don't know who it is.

**Diana POV**

I hear a car pull up outside. I guess its Caine, and open the door. And my heart stops. I was right, it is Caine. But not only Caine.

He's standing in front of the car, with another girl. She's blonde, with perfect sparkly blue eyes, and slightly tanned skin. But that's not the bad part. They're kissing.

My mouth can't move, but I slam the door, and they both jump apart. Caine probably realizes it was me.

I run to my room, our room, and sit on the edge of the bed, crying my eyes out. Soon, a small figure appears at my door, and comes over to me. Annie.

"Mommy?" she whispers.

I sniff. She only calls me Mommy when she's scared or worried.

"What's up, Annie?" I ask.

She sits down on the bed next to me, "Were you crying."

I don't see the point in lying to her, so I nod.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"It's your dad." I admit.

She frowns, "Are you going to split up?"

I shrug. Annie starts to cry.

"I don't want you to split up, Mommy."

I feel like a monster, making my little baby cry and I put my arm around her shoulders, rubbing her back.

"We'll be fine, sweetie." I whisper in her ear, trying to calm her down.

She starts to sniff, instead of crying.

The door opens, and Caine walks in.

Annie looks up, sees him, and starts to cry again. I feel tears on my face too, no matter how hard I try to stop them.

"Annie?" he asks, "What's wrong?"

"I don't want you to split up." She sobs.

He frowns, "Diana?"

"Who was she, Caine?"

"Someone from work." He lies.

"How long have you been seeing her?" I demand.

He shrugs, "A while."

"When were you planning to tell me?"

He shrugs, "Maybe we _should_ break up. We aren't married. We're technically just boyfriend and girlfriend."

I give him a withering look, "Caine, we have an eleven year old daughter!"

"Well, you don't have to care about our relationship any more. I'll take Annie."

Annie curls up into me. I rest my head on hers for a moment, before replying, "No. No Caine. A little girl needs a mother. I learned that the hard way."

"She will have a mother. Just not you."

More tears appear on my face.

"Caine, you don't understand how rough it is on children who's parents split up. You came from a perfect family. I didn't. I know how hard it is when you don't see one of your parents. I had to do everything without seeing my mom. It hurts."

"She'll be fine. She's my big, brave girl, right, Annie?"

Annie doesn't answer, and I kiss her forehead.

"You can't just have custody of our daughter. It has to be sorted legally."

"It's fine, Diana. Annie would much rather be with me than you. If she comes with me, there's a sister the same age as her. She's done the splitting up thing, and she's fine."

"I'm not giving up my daughter so that she can be raised by another woman."

**3 weeks later**

I rarely get by one day without crying. Caine got custody of my child, and he got the house too. I'm moved in with my mom and Daniel, who are now married, and both of them are incredibly supportive.

I have a job witch I love to death, but I'm usually pretty upset.

I go over to my dad's, and, although Miranda is still my mortal enemy, Susan has a baby daughter, and little Marie's dad left her. Susan herself is much nicer, and very sympathetic, knowing how I feel, because she couldn't imagine life without Marie.

So, we go out window-shopping a lot, and Lynn comes too, because she's 18 now, and not far behind us. We're only 26, we should live a little. That's what our moms tell us.

Today, when we're out, Susan points out a cute guy who keeps looking at me.

"Go talk to him." She says, laughing.

"Yeah, Diana. Maybe you won't be single so much longer!" Lynn adds.

So I go over to talk to him, and things escalate quickly.

**1 year and 5 months later**

**Annie POV**

Cara, my stepmom, goes to the door. I smile. I've been in a good mood about her since my 13th birthday last week, when she got me an iPad 2.

"A letter for you Annie." She calls, "It's dead fancy."

Molly, my stepsister, and my best friend, after Chandini comes over.

"Read it out loud." She says.

I open the letter and read allowed, "Miss Annie Ladris-Soren. Ms and Mr Kyle Ladris are delighted to invite you to the wedding of their daughter, Miss Diana Ladris, to Mr Xander Johnson."

I stop. Mom's getting married?

I notice dad has frozen, too.

"Well, I guess you'll have to go." Dad says, "She'll want you to be a bridesmaid, I suppose."

I nod, still shocked, I had always kinda thought that my mom would stay single, that I would stay the only really important person she had added to her family.

* * *

**So there you go, a happy ending for Diana! The wedding is the next chapter, so I'll get it up when I finish writing it!**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave reviews! I love them!  
**

**Toodles-  
**

**Sophia xo  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is a shorter chapter, sorry, but at least I'm updating twice in one day! It's like a record for me! **

**This chapter is kind of rushed forward, lots of time skips! It ends with some new arrivals to the family!  
**

**By the way-just for anyone who is wondering, Xander is pronounced Zander. It's the name of a character in the book 'Matched'.  
**

**DISCLAIMER: Still saving...  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

**Diana POV**

I wait downstairs in the church. I'm wearing my big white dress. It has see-through lacy arms, and a long skirt with a longer train. It also has an old-fashioned corset, which Susan is choking me with, by doing it up.

"Susan." I choke out, "I can't breathe."

She shrugs, "It looks good. You can take it off later."

I laugh, despite the thing that is slowly killing me.

Susan is my maid of honour. She's dressed in a slightly more extravagant version of the other bridesmaid dresses.

It a pretty, white, silk thing, which falls to her ankles. It has bits of lace at the sleeves and her dress, unlike the others, has a cream coloured sash around it. Her bouquet is full of white, pink and red roses. Mine, I'm told, is a bigger version of it.

I then have to slip into my shoes, which are killer heels, pretty cream-coloured, strappy ones. My make-up is done, and my hair is curled and full of sparkles, and I'm ready.

My bridesmaids are, along with Lynn and Annie, two of Xander's three younger sisters, Alison and Brittani. The other one is 6, and I've asked her to be the special flower girl, holding Marie's hand. I have some other bridesmaids and flower girls, Xander's nieces, both our cousins, and the wedding party is quite big.

Xander's best man is his best friend for most of his life.

When I walk down the aisle, I can hear my mom crying, and I accidently dig my fake nails into my dad's arm a little.

It feels like a lifetime until I we reach the alter.

We say our vows, and he slowly lifts the silky veil off my face to kiss me.

Its like time freezes, but then he picks me up and swings me around.

And it's done. We're married, and in two days, we'll be in Spain for our honeymoon.

Reception is loads of fun, and we cut the cake, which is absolutely delicious.

**1 month later**

We home from Spain with good news for everyone. A new baby is on the way!

I get to move out of mom and Daniel's house, and into Xander's flat.

It's great, and I'm very relaxed, until, a couple months in, I go for a scan.

The doctor breaks the news to us, "Well, it seems you're expecting twins."

I freeze.

"It was hard enough doing one baby, but two?" I groan.

Xander kisses my forehead, "You'll be fine! You're the strongest person I know! Just be glad it isn't triplets!"

That makes me laugh.

The next time I go for a scan where they can tell me something important, when I'm 7 months in, the doctor tells me he knows the gender or genders of the babies, and asks if we want a surprise or to be told now.

I'm not sure. I'm practically bursting with curiosity, but I'm not sure if I want a surprise.

"It's up to you, Di, but if we know, we can start choosing names now." Xander tells me.

So I give in, and the doctor tells me I'm expecting one little boy, and one little girl.

This is exactly what I wanted! So we go home, and try to decide on names.

We manage to narrow it down to Kyra, Maya or Allie for the girl, and Thomas, Cameron or Scott for the boy.

**8-ish months later**

It's actually pretty cool, when you think about it. It was Annie's 14th birthday, and I hadn't had the chance to call her. The babies were due yesterday, so I was in the hospital when my water broke.

I always called her on her birthday, to say hi. I had sent her present already, a laptop, but I hadn't called, on account of being stuck in the hospital since last night.

The labour hurts worse than I remembered it, but the first baby, my little boy, comes out quicker than Annie had.

I don't feel the girl coming yet, so I get a drink, and to hold my baby, whom we name Cameron. He's back in the cot, when, a couple of hours later, his twin sister starts to come.

She takes longer, and I mangle Xander's hand for the second time.

The girl, who is named Maya, is very delicate, more so than her brother.

We get them cleaned up, and then we all go home.

* * *

**Short and sweet! I hope you liked it anyways! Please leave a review-it makes my day.**

**Bye-  
**

**Sophia xoxo  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey! Me again! I'm not doing to bad with this updating, if I do say so myself! So we've got Annie's POV and Diana's POV nearer the end in this chapter. Some tension between Diana and Cara, Caine's new girlfriend/wife/person... Thanks to all my reviewers, I love you all to pieces!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: Sorry folks, I'm Sophia, not Michael Grant!  
**

**Enjoy, my splendid little pizzas!  
**

* * *

**Annie POV**

It's my 14th birthday, and I have tonnes of cool presents, but I'm not happy. My mom hasn't called. She always calls to say hi and ask if I got my present, which, this year, is a laptop.

I turn to my dad, "Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"What if mom's forgotten me?"

He laughed, "She hasn't forgotten you, Annie. She remembered to send you a laptop, right?"

I sigh, "But she hasn't called. She always calls."

"She's probably busy."

"Too busy for me?"

"I don't know, Ann. Maybe she's slept in."

"It's 7 at night, Dad. People don't sleep in that long. Besides, doesn't she have a job?"

"I don't know, Annie."

So I go away, and a couple hours later, the phone rings.

"Annie!" Dad calls, "It's you mom."

Everyone goes through, even though the phones just for me, so I put it on speakerphone.

"Hey, Annie." She sounds exhausted.

"Why haven't you called already, mom?"

"I'm afraid I've been in hospital all day." She replies.

I frown, "Are you okay?"

"Well, now! See if you can get your dad to bring you over tomorrow. There's a big birthday surprise for you."

"Can I go now?"

"Not today, sweetheart. It's bedtime."

I shake my head, "Okay."

"How do we know it's okay for Annie to go to her mother's house?" Cara asks, forgetting mom can still hear her.

"Excuse me? I am her mother! I am perfectly capable of looking after my children."

Cara raises her eyes at dad, "Children?"

"Yes. Children. Thank you for ruining Annie's surprise."

"Mom? You had a baby?" I ask, excitedly.

"Babies, actually. Twins. Maya and Cameron."

"Aaaw! I want to go over now and see them."

"I already said, Ann." I can hear the laugh in her voice, "IT's their bedtime."

"I'm coming over tomorrow." I say.

"So are your grandparents."

I laugh, "They were born on the same day as me, mom?"

"Yes. They're exactly 14 years behind you."

"Okay. Bye, mom. See you tomorrow."

I get up at 9 the next morning, and go straight through to Dad and Cara's room.

Both of them are up, and dressed. Cara looks like she's about to go downstairs

"Dad! You have to take me to mom's house!"

"I'll take you after you've had your breakfast and gotten changed, A." Cara says, using her nickname for me.

I run down and have a quick breakfast, and put on some of the clothes scattered around my room because I can't be bothered cleaning it.

Cara drives me down to mom's house, and I bang on the door.

Mom comes to the door. She gives me a huge hug.

"Oh my God, Annie I have missed you so much!"

"This is Cara, mom." I say, motioning to Cara, "My stepmom."

If looks could kill, both would be dead.

"Can we come in?" I ask.

Mom nods, eyes fixed on some random point in the distance.

"Xander!" she calls into the house, "Annie's here!"

He comes through and smiles at me.

"Your grandparents are already here, Annie." Mom tells me, "Come on in."

I walk in. The house is surprisingly clean, because I know how messy mom is.

Inside I see Lynn, who I haven't seen in ages. She's still about 7 years older than me, but we were best friends when I was a baby.

"Hey, Annie." She says.

Everyone else is there too, but I'm looking at the cots.

Mom walks forward, and lifts one baby from a cot.

"This is Maya, the youngest, Cameron was born a couple of hours before her."

Mom hands me the baby, and put my hand behind her head. She's soft and warm and absolutely adorable.

"Hi, Maya." I whisper, "I'm your big sister."

Mom picks up the other baby, who has started to cry. Xander takes Maya, and I get to hold Cameron.

"They are so cute!" I say, grinning.

"He doesn't stop crying, does he?" Cara asks, rudely.

I turn around and glare at her. I notice mom doing the same.

"He's a baby." Mom says, tensely, "Babies cry. It's just a fact."

Grandma puts a hand on mom's back, to try and calm her down. She smiles at me.

"So how have you been, Ann?" Mom asks.

"Fine."

"What did you do for your birthday?" she says, looking down for a moment before meeting my eyes again.

"Chandini, Molly and I went to see a movie."

"Who's Molly?" she continues.

"Molly's my daughter. She's A's best friend." Cara speaks up.

"A?" Mom raises her eyebrows.

"It's my nickname for Annie."

"Makes her sound like a boy." Mom wrinkles her nose up.

"Tea, Annie?" Xander interrupts before things can get more awkward. I shoot him a grateful look.

"Yes, please."

"Still at Coates?" mom asks, changing the subject.

"Yeah, it sucks."

Mom laughs, "Drake Merwin isn't there, so count yourself lucky. He attempted to kill be quite a few times, as I recall. Hanging around with him never really was a good idea."

I stare at her, wondering if she's serious. Probably.

Susan grabs mom's arm and pulls her down on the sofa beside her, taking Cameron back from me, and putting him in her arms.

The baby's crying turns into sniffles. Mom smiles and kisses his forehead.

Xander gives me my tea. I notice he's added some sugar.

"Well, we should probably get back, A." Cara starts, "Your dad won't want you to be away all day."

"Her dad." Mom replies, "Will have to deal with it. Although, by all means, you can leave, if you want."

Cara glares at mom.

"Come on, Annie." Cara says to me.

I step back.

"I'm staying."

"No, Annie." Cara laughs, "We have to go, now."

"I want to stay with mom today."

"Annie! Don't talk back to me like that!"

"Don't tell my daughter what to do. You aren't in charge of her, I am."

"Fine." Cara sniffs, "I'll be back for you in an hour."

"I'll take her home." Mom interrupts.

Cara gives her a look and then she leaves.

I end up staying quite a lot longer than an hour, and mom drives me home at 9.30 pm.

Dad bursts out of the door, "Annie! Oh, there you are! We thought something had happened. Go inside and get ready for bed."

I run upstairs, not wanting to hear my parents having an argument.

**Diana POV**

"How could you send that bitch to my house Caine?" I demand.

"Annie?" he asks, confused.

"Not Annie, you dumbass, that stupid blonde wife of yours."

"We aren't married." He tells me.

"As if that makes any difference! She's still stealing my daughter from me!"

"Don't be so protective of Annie. Teenagers hate it."

"Caine, you don't realise, because Annie bloody lives with you, but it kills me to have another woman raising my child. It crushes me. I hate it!"

"You're acting like Annie belongs to you!"

"Only because she does freaking belong to me! I'm her mother! I brought her into this world! I suffered so that she could live, every mother does." I scream at him.

"You have kids of your own, though, Diana, don't you? You've got perfect little babies with your perfect little husband!" he yells back.

"You think that changes the fact that I love my first daughter?" I shout, "Because you should think again."

Caine's blonde girl, Cara stalks over.

"Stop shouting, for God's sake, woman! The children are trying to sleep!" she hisses.

I show her my middle finger, and stalk off.

* * *

**Voila! Hope you liked it! Review for me, cupcake-faces!**

**BYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEE-  
**

**Sophia xo  
**

**PS: Yes, yes I am on high-grade marshmallows...  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey! New update again today! Yay! It's a bit short, but there's Cara POV at the start, and some Caine POV nearer the end! So, that's fun!  
**

**IMPORTANT A/N: If you actually read these bits at the top (thank you!), you'll know that immortus helped me with one chapter. I just need to tell all you guys that after this chapter, I'm turning this story into a kind of joint effort with me and immortus (or immortus and I, excuse my grammer) So just letting you guys know! This chapter is just me, but after it, joint effort!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: Yeah, I don't own Gone. I do own Annie, Maya and Cameron, though, and that's the important bit!  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

**Cara POV**

I can't help it. I'm a naturally jealous person. I love Caine. I know that I love Caine, and he loves me. But Diana had him first.

I've still got a nagging feeling in the back of my head that maybe he still likes her. I tell myself I'm just being paranoid; he left her for me! I won! She lost!

I only met Diana a few times, at her wedding, when we dropped Annie off, and twice today, of course. She's really pretty. Prettier than me. I'd never say that to her, though.

Caine gives Diana the finger behind her back, and slams the door loudly.

"Dad!"

We turn to see Annie, and she looks horrified.

"Why did you do that?" she demands.

"Do what?" he asks, although I'm pretty sure he knows the answer.

"Give mom the finger!" she says, angrily.

"She gave Cara the finger! I had to stick up for her!" Caine protests.

"I don't care." Annie glares at us both, and goes upstairs.

"Her mother is a bad influence on her." I mutter to Caine.

"You're telling me." He mutters back.

**Diana POV**

He's an idiot. Thinks I didn't see him give me the finger. He didn't realize he was in the perfect position for me to see his reflection in my car window.

I roll my eyes to myself, and slam the car door behind me.

When I get home, my parents are still there, so we all watch a movie, Susan, Lynn, Xander, Mom, Dad, Miranda and me.

Usually I would object to Miranda sharing a family time like this, but right now, I'm so furious at Cara that even Miranda is fine by me.

The twins are both asleep, and Susan is staying over with us, to help with the babies.

Xander and I have different rooms, so that we each get a baby in the room with us. That way, usually one of us can get some peace at night.

"Susan." I whisper.

"Yeah?" she murmurs back.

"That freaking Cara bitch is driving me crazy."

"It's completely natural that you still have feelings for Caine." She starts.

"It's not that. I obviously still have slight feelings for Caine, but it's mainly Annie."

Susan nods, "I hate it when Marie's not around. Mom's looking after her right now though. I have to help you guys!"

"I just hate having another woman look after my child! Caine's had her for 3 years. It's my turn! He only got her because I would be a single parent and he wouldn't. I'm not single anymore."

"We'll call. Tomorrow. If he doesn't let you see her, you can take it to court. You have a right to see your child. I think."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's right. We'll call tomorrow."

The next day, I wake up having completely forgotten calling Caine about Annie. Susan and I have been up half the night with Maya.

Susan comes through, holding Maya, and hands me the phone.

I look at it blankly, and then move my head so I'm facing her.

"You were going to call Caine about Annie."

And then I remember.

"Oh, yeah. Right. Okay." I dial Caine's landline and hold the phone to my ear.

On the 3rd ring, someone picks up the phone.

"Hello?" Oh, Crap. Cara.

"Could I speak to Caine Soren?" I ask.

"Um…okay." I hear her walk up the stairs, "Caine! Phone!"

Someone takes the phone, and I hear Caine, "Hello?"

"Hey, Caine. It's Diana."

"Diana?" he repeats.

**Caine POV**

Her name comes out of my mouth before I can stop it. Cara looks at me, rolling her eyes.

"Caine, this is about Annie."

I freeze, "Yes?"

"I want custody of her."

I frown to myself, "I have custody of her, Diana. You can't have her."

I hear her tell someone who is in the room with her, "He said no. I knew he would say no."

"Remember, you take this to court, Di." Susan, who must have been the one Diana was talking to, says.

"I can take this to court, Caine." Diana repeats what Susan has just told her, "You've had Annie for 3 years, and I've barely gotten to see her. It's my turn to look after her."

I consider, "You're just thinking about yourself, Diana. Annie doesn't want to move. She's perfectly happy here. Molly too, she'd be so sad if Annie left!"

"Let me speak to Annie." Diana demands.

"She's in her room."

"Caine Soren let me speak to my daughter RIGHT. NOW."

This doesn't scare me at all, but I give in and let Annie have the phone.

**Annie POV**

Someone knocks on my door.

"Go away!" I shout, annoyed.

"Your mom's on the phone, Ann." Dad argues.

I open the door and take the phone.

"Hi, Mom." I say.

"Hey, Annie." She replies, "I want to know if you're okay with coming to live with me. You can still go to the same school, you can do whatever you did before with your friends, but are you okay with living with me?"

"Am I moving?" I ask.

"You might be, hon. I'm fighting your dad for custody because I hardly ever get to see you."

* * *

**Okay, so there you go! Hope you enjoyed it-this story is open to interpretation: if you have any ideas or something you want to happen, PM me! I promise you'll get credit at the top or bottom!**

**Toodles-  
**

**Sophia xoxo  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Spoiler: Diana won custody of Annie! YAY! **

**Also, this chapter gets a little sad near the end, so just a warning.  
**

**Thanks to immortus, my co-author of this story (hope you like this twist on your original idea!) Also-special shout out to jng1; my fanfiction pen-pal! You are totally awesome! And, while we're thanking people an doing shout outs-thanks to all my amazing reviewers! You are my favorite intertet people! I love you all!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own Gone...sorry!  
**

**Enjoy, sugar plums!  
**

* * *

**Diana POV**

Well, I'm happier now, and Annie loves the babies. She's always playing with them and she's a great big sister.

I'm up almost every night, and much as I loved Annie as a baby, I remember this being the worst bit of having a child-the keeping-you-up-every-night bit…

**2 years later**

It's weird to think that Annie is now older than I was when I had her. Luckily, she hasn't followed in my footsteps. She has a boyfriend though-and he's really nice. I have a weird feeling that he would never break her heart, but that she might crush his if she's not careful.

Maya and Cameron are both absolutely fine and beautiful as ever. When they were one year old, we moved out of the flat, into a proper house, and Maya and Cameron share a room, although there's a spare room for one of them to move into when they get older.

Annie's room reminds me of mine when I had her. It has violet walls, a metal high sleeper bed with an orange mattress, which is kind of weird. Purple and Orange are her favourite colours. She's stuck millions of pictures in her room, unlike me. Only half of them are of people she actually knows, the other's are all pop stars and boy bands.

Xander and I are finally sharing a room, and a bed, of course. Our room is very practical, with black walls, patterned with little white roses. The double bed has _white_ sheets with little _black _roses. The curtains are white and black horizontal stripes. We have two wardrobes. His is a normal wooden one, and mine is a walk in wardrobe with mirrors for doors.

It's a lovely house, and both of us have good jobs, well good enough to keep Annie in Coates, which is even more expensive than it was when I went.

**Annie POV**

Dad may think otherwise, but I love living with mom. It's better than living with him any day. Xander works from the house, and lots of the time, he takes me out, and we go go-karting or swimming, or something like that, dropping the twins off with our grandma and Daniel.

Mom is around less of the time, but she's still usually here, and we go shopping or to see a movie. It's loads of fun and I love living here, especially with the little kids.

It's Saturday, and I'm off school, so I've spent most of the day lying on the sofa, flicking through magazines, updating my Facebook and texting all my friends.

I suddenly hear a racking cough. Mom and Xander are both out and I'm supposed to be babysitting the kids. I look up. Maya is sniffing. She coughs again.

I frown, "Maya? Are you okay?"

Maya coughs again, and starts to cry. I pick her up and kiss her forehead.

"What's up, honey?"

She sobs into my shirt, getting my shoulder all wet.

"I feel sick, Annie." She cries.

"Okay, baby. We'll go to bed, okay?" I turn around, "Cameron? Stay put, okay?"

I take Maya upstairs and put her in her bed.

I go back downstairs, but through the baby monitor, I can hear her coughing and coughing.

Eventually, this starts to worry me. I pick up the phone and call Mom's mobile. She picks up on the 3rd ring.

"Hey, Annie. How's it going?"

"Mom, Maya won't stop coughing. Really big coughs. It's scaring me." I answer, panicking slightly.

"Have you taken her temperature?" Mom asks.

"No, but Mom, please come home. I'm scared." I beg.

I hear her whisper to Xander, and then she talks to me, "Okay, Annie. We'll be home soon."

I sit, cradling Cameron, because I'm scared. Mom and Xander get home in 5 minutes.

They hear the coughing on the monitor, and Mom instantly looks worried. She goes upstairs and comes back down with Maya, who is letting out constant, racking coughs.

Xander frowns. "How long has she been coughing like this?"

"About half an hour." I whisper.

Mom bites her lip.

"Should we get her to a doctor?" I ask.

Mom looks at Xander helplessly. He nods.

"Yes. We'll take her right now." He tells us, "Ann, can you stay and watch Cameron?"

"Yes." I answer.

Mom picks Maya up and they walk, quickly, out of the door and away.

I hug Cameron tight.

"Where My-My going?" he whispers.

I almost smile at his cute nickname for his sister, "Nowhere." I whisper, "She'll be back soon."

**Diana POV**

We get Maya into the hospital as quickly as possible. A nurse immediately takes us through, and Maya is put on a breathing machine.

Only a couple of minutes later, Maya stops breathing altogether.

When they tell me, first I refuse to believe it. It's impossible. My baby is far too young to die. I only believe it when I touch her cheek, which is ice cold. I lean my head over her mouth to feel her breath. I put my ear against her chest, desperately trying to hear a heartbeat, but nothing.

And, when it finally sinks in that I have lost my baby daughter, I go to pieces. I scream at the doctors, at the nurses. I get onto my knees and beg them to bring her back. I cry and cry and cry and cry.

Xander is calmer. I see him crying, I hear him crying, but he isn't violent like me. He is just so sad and it makes me even sadder.

After a while, they take Maya's body away. I want to die. I want it to end.

**Annie POV**

Xander and Mom have been gone for a couple of hours and I'm starting to worry.

Cameron has fallen asleep, and I can hear his peaceful, steady breathing through the baby monitor.

When the door finally opens, Xander is carrying Mom. She is crying her eyes out, and I can't see Maya anywhere. They don't even have to tell me, and I know.

I feel tears on my face, and I only just murmur, "Maya…she died?"

Mom bursts into new sobs, and Xander nods, tearfully.

I start to cry like Mom then, sobbing and sobbing until everything hurts, my head, my throat, my stomach, but, especially, my heart.

* * *

**Yeah, sad. I hope I'm not the only person who cried at this chapter... Yeah, yeah call me lame, but I cried while writing this...**

**Hope you enjoyed it!  
**

**BYYYYEEEE-  
**

**Sophia xoxo  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**A kinda short chapter today guys-this explains why Maya was killed off in the previous chapter-I'm sorry! It was not my idea. Not my idea-I swear. It was immortus. Blame him. (Sorry immortus but it was you...)  
**

**So a new chapter again! I'm doing much better with the updating than usual-and it's the weekend soon-yay!  
By the way, guys, if any of you have tumblr-please follow my blog: calliemason  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gone, much as I would like it for my birthday...anyone?  
**

**Enjoy and without further adieu, here is the next chapter!  
**

* * *

**Diana POV**

A week later, I still can't stop crying. I want Maya every single day, and, although they do their best, Annie and Xander can't calm me down much.

We all think it's just the grieving process, but when I accidently smash a window in the kitchen, it gets more serious. Nobody knew the neighbours had called. Not until the letter came.

I opened it, but it was addressed to Xander and I, so he came to read over my shoulder.

Dear Mr and Mrs Johnson,

We have received some reports from neighbours that you have been heard smashing things in the house. The witnesses tell us you have one young child in the house and they worry that you may not be suitable parents for a young child. We would like to take your child into care for the sake of both yourself and your child.

Sincerely,

Miss Karen Menzies

Manager of California Social Services

**Annie POV**

When Mom finishes reading the letter aloud, she starts to cry.

"I've just lost one baby, now they're trying to take both of them away?" she whispers, "They can't."

"They can." Xander tells her, rubbing her back, "If they've decided we're unfit parents, they will take Cameron away."

**Xander POV**

I don't know what I can do. I don't have other kids, but I want other kids, I know that. If I'm an unfit parent, I can't have other children.

My only option, well, at least that I can think of, is to run away. I feel horrible, leaving Diana while she's going through all this. I feel even worse, knowing she's gone through this before, but I have to leave, or at least that's how it feels.

**Diana POV**

I wake up early, and Xander isn't in the bed next to me. I assume he's downstairs, but then I see it. The note on the table next to his side of the bed.

'I'm so sorry, Diana.'

It sinks in on me then. He's left me, probably for some other woman, like Caine. I don't get up, and Annie comes through, as she did the night Caine and I split up.

"Mom?" she sits beside me on the bed, "Where's Xander?"

I shrug, and she sees the note, clenched in my hand. She gasps.

"No! Oh, Mom, how could he leave you?"

I shake my head, "I don't know. I don't know."

The doorbell goes off.

"I'll get it." Annie tells me.

She goes downstairs, and a few minutes later, yells, "Mom! Someone needs to see you!"

I go downstairs, trying to rub my eyes, which are wet. I think, despite my efforts, the posh looking woman sitting at our kitchen table can tell I've been crying."

"Miss Johnson?" she asks.

"Yes."

"I am Karen Menzies. I trust you got our letter, and hopefully, you know why I'm here."

"Please don't take him away." I whisper, "I can look after him. I raised Annie."

Karen nods, "You look very young to be the mother of a teenager."

I don't say anything.

"How old were you, when she was born?"

I can't help thinking she's kind of nosy, but I answer anyway, "15."

She sniffs, "I see. Now, could I see you husband?"

I glance at Annie, and then answer, "He's out."

"Out, huh?" she repeats, "He's left you, hasn't he?"

I look at her, angrily, but end up nodding.

"Hmm." She considers, "And may I see the child?"

I look at Annie, helplessly.

"I'll get him." She tells me, then turns to Karen, "He's sleeping."

Annie brings Cameron down as quickly as she can, and passes him to me.

"He's very sweet." Karen tells me, "May I ask why you've been acting in a way that may make you an unfit mother? You obviously raised you're first child well."

I start to sob, "My baby, my daughter. She was too young, she was too young!"

Karen turns to Annie, while I cry, "Could you explain, dear?"

Annie, who is also crying a little, says, "Cameron's twin sister passed away about a week ago."

Karen nods, "Aah." She puts her hand on mine, "I'm very sorry to hear that, I assure you. If I had a choice, I would leave your son with you, but I'm afraid I have to take him away. If possible, I shall try and see who lives in your area that may adopt him."

I nod, still crying and hugging Cameron to my chest.

"We'll be back tomorrow." She tells me, "Please collect all of your child's belongings together."

I don't say anything, and she leaves.

"Annie." I whisper, "I can't let them take him away."

"Well, Xander ran away, maybe we can, too."

"Where would we go?" I ask her.

"To your Mom's house." She tells me.

I nod, thinking, in my craziness, that we may actually be able to get away from the social services, that maybe I won't lose both of my babies after all.

I call Mom, and I tell her what has happened. She sounds absolutely shocked and appalled.

"Xander left you? At a time like this? That is disgraceful! He has a responsibility as the other parent of Cameron…" she rants on for quite a while.

When she pauses, I ask, "Mom? Can we come and stay with you? The services may not find us."

Mom hesitates, but then replies, "You can try, sweetie, you can try."

* * *

**There you are, hope you liked it! **

**Review, flying penguins, REVIEW!  
**

**Weeeeeeeee! (Oops, I've been watching too Much Jenna Marbles...)  
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**Toodly too-  
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**Sophia xoxoxoxoxoxo  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi guys! A shorter chapter for now-sorry, but I hope you like it anyway! **

**GUYS! This is the 10th chapter! Round of Applause, Sophia! I don't think I've ever gotten this far on a story before! Long live this story!  
**

**Thanks to my reviewers-you guys are the bestestest! Also thanks to immortus, of course!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gone, but I own all my OCs and it makes me HAPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  
**

**Enjoy, sugan plum fairies!  
**

* * *

We pack up, and the next morning, we set off to my Mom's house.

She's waiting there, a sad expression on her face, especially as she looks at Cameron. But she and Daniel have some unwanted company.

"Hello, Mrs Johnson, or Ms, if you prefer." Karen greets me with an icy smile, as if to say 'Beat you to it.'

"Miss Menzies." I reply, biting my lip.

"Please, give me the child." She says, in a very commanding voice.

I look at her incredulously, and don't move.

"Give me the baby, Mrs Johnson, or I will take him from you by force."

My breathing comes out in short ragged breaths. I look at mom.

"You have to give her Cameron, Diana." She tells me.

I look down at my son, kiss his forehead softly, and hand him over, gently. The moment Cameron is gone from my arms; I feel like a part of me dies.

Karen rests her free hand on my arm, and says to me, "I'm very sorry, Mrs Johnson. I promise you he will have a good life."

I nod, feeling unbelievably empty, and sadder than I've been since Maya. Strangely, I can't cry.

Cameron doesn't recognise the woman holding him, and he starts to cry.

"Mama?" he squeaks, "Mama! Mama!"

I sink to the floor and put my hands on my face. I feel Annie sit beside me, rubbing my back.

The door opens and shuts, and I know that Cameron is gone.

**6 weeks later**

**Annie POV**

For the first couple weeks after Cameron was taken into the social services, she barely cried, but she didn't speak to me, she didn't speak to anyone. She hardly moved, and I had to force feed her.

She's over that now, but she still sleeps in a lot. I'm up a good couple hours before her, and today is no exception. I see the letter first, because of that, and I read it without showing her.

Ms Diana Johnson,

We are delighted to inform you that Miss Tanya Collins has adopted your son, Cameron Johnson. For more information, please don't hesitate to contact us with the number at the bottom of the page.

Sincerely,

Miss Karen Menzies

Manager of California Social Services

Then there's an address, which is labelled: The new address of your child.

I run upstairs, and shake mom awake.

"Read this, mom!" I cry.

She takes the letter and scans it over.

"The address." She frowns, "That's the address for the house just a couple down from us."

She's sitting straight up.

"Go get dressed and washed, Ann. We are going to pay Miss Tanya Collins a visit!"

I get ready, and then mom and I set off.

Mom knocks on the door. We hear a voice from inside.

"That'll be dad!"

A smiling woman, who only looks like she's 20, pulls the door open. She has long black hair and tanned skin. Her eyes are bright blue, and she's wearing a lot of make up.

Her face falls when she sees that we aren't her dad.

"Oh. How can I help you?"

"I'd like to see my son." Mom says, firmly.

The woman freezes, "You're Cameron's birth mother?"

Mom nods, "Yes, and I'd like to see him."

"We only adopted him two days ago. He's still getting used to us. We don't need you coming and getting him all worked up."

"I'm his mother! I have a right to see my child!"

"Hate to break it to you, slut, but you aren't his mother any more! I am." She snarls.

"Don't call my mom a slut!" I burst out, furious.

"How dare you? I am his mother-I will always be his mother! One of my children has already been taken away from me entirely, don't make me suffer that again!" Mom begs.

The woman sniffs, "Go away. Don't come back to my house again. Cameron is mine now."

And with that, she slams the door in our faces. Mom starts to cry, and I take her home, immediately.

Later on, Miranda, Susan and Lynn come over.

Miranda's wine for all of them, and soda for me. Susan has the box set of Sex in the City and Lynn has chocolates.

We invite my grandma over, and she brings a sponge cake, and we all have a girls night, which is loads of fun and gets our minds off of what's happening with Cameron.

* * *

**GIRLS NIGHT! ****Yay!**

**Hope you enjoyed this new update! REVIEW FOR ME, PIGLETS, REVIEW FOR ME!  
**

**Toodles-  
**

**Sophia xooxoxooxoxooxxooxoxxo (Omg kisses and hugs overload! xoxoxoxoxo)  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi! New update for today! And guess what? Annie has a secret! And you will find it out in approximately 10 sentences time!**

**GUYS! I HAD AN AMAZING IDEA: I'M GOING TO START GIVING YOU GUYS CHALLENGES TO PUT IN THE REVIEWS! THIS UPDATES CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE AT THE END OF THIS UPDATE, SO READ THE STORY AND DO THE CHALLENGE IN THE REVIEWS!  
**

**Thanks to my reviewers, and immortus :)  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gone, but I own Annie :)  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

**Annie POV**

I am going to tell her. I promised myself I would do it this week. I have to tell her, I know that. I have to, she'll find out eventually.

I broke it off with my boyfriend a few months ago. Mom doesn't know that. I wasn't doing to because I didn't like him, he's nice, but I discovered I couldn't be with him.

My phone rings, and I pick it up.

"Hey, Annie!" It's Layla, my…girlfriend.

"Hey, Layla." I answer.

"You doing anything tonight? We could go out for dinner, if you want. It's my payday."

I smile, "Yeah, sure."

"I'll pick you up at 6." She says, "Love you."

"Love you." I answer.

I put the phone down and sit on my bed. I have to tell my mom. I'm nervous. Layla came out to her parents a year ago, before we met, at school, and they kicked her out of the house.

She's living with her brother and his wife now, helping with their 3 kids.

"You can do this Annie." I whisper to myself, "Remember, Layla's brother says you can stay with them if Mom…"

I bite my lip. If my mother rejected me, I would just about die.

I walk down the stairs. Mom is watching the TV.

"Hey, Mom." I say.

She looks up and smiles at me, "Hi."

"Mom, I have to tell you something."

"Yeah?"

I sit next to her on the sofa.

"What's up, Annie?" she asks.

"Mom, I'm gay." And that's it. It just came out. _I_ just came out.

Her facial expression hasn't changed.

"You were polite when you broke up with your boyfriend, right?" she questions.

I nod. She smiles at me.

"Okay, then."

I smile back, happy that she took it so well.

"I'm going out tonight." She tells me, "Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah. I'm going out too, with Layla, my girlfriend."

Mom nods, "Cool. I'll try to be back by the time your back."

I grin at her, then stand and go to my room. I grab my phone and dial Layla's number.

"Hi!" she answers brightly.

"I told my mom."

"And?"

"She was completely fine with it!"

"Great!" Layla squeals, "That's awesome! See you tonight!"

"See you!" I hand up and smile to myself.

**Diana POV**

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised by Annie's news, but I honestly don't care whether she likes boys or girls, as long as she's okay.

I'm going out with Susan tonight, and apparently Annie's going out with a girlfriend too, although a different kind.

We leave at 7, and hour after Annie is picked up. We have fun and drinks all night, and after we part on the way home, I come across Caine, for some strange reason.

"Diana." He calls to me.

"Hello, Caine." I answer.

He grabs my arm, which surprises me. I also start to get a little scared. It's late at night and nobody's around. I mentally kick myself. I am not going to be raped by my ex.

"You look hot." He tells me.

"I'm not your girlfriend, Caine." I remind him.

"You're not? Oh, well." He moves closer.

"Are you drunk?" I demand.

"You sure you're not my girlfriend?" he asks, laughing, and confirming that he is, indeed, drunk.

"Go away, Caine." I order.

"No." he says.

"Caine!" I cry, "Get lost!"

He leans over me, and kisses my lips. For a moment, I kiss him back, and it feels like the old days, when we both went to Coates, and made out, ignoring Drake's annoying protests.

Then I push him back and glare at him.

"Caine! I'm not your girlfriend-Cara is! Go make out with her!"

To emphasize my point, I kick him where it hurts most, and stalk off.

**Annie POV**

We decided that, because school isn't on tomorrow, Layla would stay for a sleepover. When Mom comes in, we're sitting on the sofa, watching both of our nerdy guilty pleasures: Doctor Who.

I jump when she opens the door.

"Hey, Ann." She grins at us, "Is this your girlfriend?"

I nod, "This is Layla. Layla, this is my mom."

"Hi, Mrs…Um."

"Diana." Mom smiles at her.

"Diana." Layla repeats.

"What are you guys watching?" she asks.

"Doctor Who." I tell her.

"Oh, budge up!" she says, kicking her shoes off at the door and joining us on the sofa.

We watch the rest of the programme, and Layla and I go up to my room, along with a bottle of coke and some chocolate.

* * *

**Hi! Hope you liked it!  
**

**CHALLENGE: MAKE UP A SHIP NAME FOR ANNIE AND LAYLA! P.S. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A SHIP NAME IS, GET A TUMBLR. :)  
**

**BYEEEEEEEEE and REVIEEEEWWWW!**

**Sophia xo  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**So I thought this was going to be a shorter chapter, but i guess not! The whole thing has been (so far) a little more than 14,080 words! So here's the next update. It's pretty simple, and nothing big happens, but hopefully you like it anyway! BTW: Thanks to laiobhseferry for you're idea for Annie and Layla's ship name, but my sister came up with the one I'm going to use; Annla! Thanks Katherine! **

**THANKS TO MY REVIEWERS-I LOVE YOU ALL! And shout out to immortus, as always!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I own Annie and Layla, so not owning Gone doesn't really matter that much to me anymore...  
**

**Enjoy, Pepper Muffins!  
**

* * *

**Annie POV**

Apart from the horrible idea of leaving mom alone, especially now that she has no one at all, I don't want to go back to school for a huge reason.

Ever since Layla and I became a public couple in the school, Chandini dropped me as a friend, being (as Mom put it) the homophobic bitch she is.

But Mom takes me up to the school, and I get out, trying to be as confident as possible. If my mother could do Coates as a pregnant woman, I can do it as a lesbian.

Layla meets up with me before we walk into the school. As soon as she grabs my hand, the shouts start up.

"Dykes!"

"Look at those lesbos holding hands!"

"Go to hell, freaks!"

I look back, not at the jeering bullies, but at Mom. She is glaring at everyone who yells anything out. And then another familiar car pulls up beside Mom's.

I pull Layla's hand gently, turning her around, "Layla. I think that's my dad's car."

Sure enough, my dad gets out of the car, as do Cara and Molly.

"Who's that?" Layla whispers to me.

"My stepmom and stepsister. What are they doing here?" I whisper back.

Molly waves at me.

"What are you two dykes staring at?" Chandini yells, loudly.

I see Mom glare fiercely at her.

"Shut up, Chandini." I tell her.

"Are you gonna make me, lesbo?"

"Homophobe." Layla chants, "Stupid, jealous homophobe."

Chandini gives Layla a dirty look, and I want to punch her, "Why would I be jealous of you, dyke?"

"You're jealous because you can't get a boyfriend or a girlfriend." Layla announces.

Chandini glares at us, "Dykes! Whores! Nobody likes you, freaks! Go to hell where you belong!"

That's when I see my dad turn around.

He storms over and glares at Chandini, "What did you just call my daughter?"

"Exactly what she is, a fat, ugly dyke."

He turns around and looks at me and Layla holding hands, then turns back, "Shut your mouth, or I'll shut it for you."

Is it unnecessary to tell you she went for option 1?

Apparently the fact that Layla and I don't share a dorm is nothing to do with the fact that we are in a relationship. Like we believe that.

I'm rooming with Molly, and I have no idea why she's here, considering she's always been good as gold.

"Why are you here?" I ask her.

"Because I started yelling at Mom a lot." She answers, "Are you really gay?"

"What's it matter?" I demand.

"Dunno." She shrugs, "It's kinda weird, though."

"No." I contradict, "It's perfectly normal."

"Okay." She says, "But I'm straight."

"And I don't care." I add.

"You're different, Annie." Molly tells me.

"Because I'm gay? Are you a homophobe?" I demand.

"No, you're just being really mean to me. I'm your best friend."

"You shouldn't make those kind of assumptions." I tell her, and stalk off.

Layla and I have 1st period maths together, so we sit beside each other, and, exactly like all the other girls in our class, we hardly pay attention and just sit giggling.

"What have you got next?" Layla asks me.

"PE" I groan, pulling a face, "You?"

"Tech" She laughs at the expression on my face, which reads, 'Not Fair."

"Annie Ladris! Layla Collie! Is my lesson interrupting your conversation?" Mrs Shannon, our maths teacher demands.

We both look up.

"Sorry, Mrs Shannon," Layla apologizes, "Please continue."

The teacher glares at us, and continues to drone on about advanced algebra.

In PE, I start out with the usual excuse, "Miss, It's my time of the month!"

"Do I look like I care?" My teacher, Miss Kye, replies, "Get changed."

I, along with the other girls in the class, including Chandini, go to get changed. Halfway to the changing rooms, my ex-best friend turns around.

"Miss, I'm not getting changed in the same room as her." She points at me, "It's like making us get changed with a boy!"

"Go get changed." Miss Kye repeats her order.

"No! She'll be all eyeing us up!" Chandini protests.

"For God's sake, grow up!" the teacher shouts, although she looks at me warily.

"I have a girlfriend, Chandini." I remind her, "I wouldn't try to hit on you. Nobody in their right mind would."

"That's enough, Ladris." Miss Kye barks.

"How dare you!" Chandini bursts, "I've had plenty boyfriends!"

I laugh, "No, you haven't, Chandini. We used to be friends, remember. Before you got all homophobic."

"I'm not getting changed with a dyke!" Chandini screams.

"Go to the headmaster right now!" Miss Kye yells, "Both of you!"

As we walk to the head's office, we walk on opposite sides of the hall, as far away from each other as we can get.

I knock on the door when we get there, because Chandini refuses to, and we both enter the room.

"Sit, girls." He orders.

"Mr Craig, I'm not sitting next to her." Chandini announces.

I mutter, "Oh my _God_" under my breath, and take a seat.

"Is there any particular reason, Miss Alexander, that you do not wish to sit next to Miss Ladris?" Mr Craig asks, "And is that reason in any way tied to why the pair of you are in my office on the _first day of term_?"

"I simply refused to get changed in the same room as her, as she's a dyke." Chandini says.

"Miss Alexander, please do not use that term. You should know the term used in this school is either gay or lesbian." Mr Craig says, sharply.

"I refuse to be in my underwear with a _lesbian_ in the room, then." Chandini tells him.

"Do you have any reason for calling Annie a lesbian, Miss Alexander?"

"She has a girlfriend! She goes around holding hands with Layla Collie! All the time!"

"And what, Miss Alexander, makes you think you can bully poor Miss Ladris because of her sexual orientation?"

Chandini pulls a face, "What's sexual orientation?"

"It is whether you are attracted to the same sex, the opposite sex, or anything else." The head explains.

"She's a freak." Chandini says plainly, "Being gay isn't normal."

"You have to be extremely old fashioned to think that." I tell her, annoyed.

"Well, I just don't know why you would choose to be gay, like a total weirdo." Chandini says. It wouldn't be to hurtful, but the way she says it is painful.

"You don't _choose _to be gay!" I argue, "Did you choose to be straight?"

"Everyone starts straight, some people just go to the dark side, which is being gay." Chandini mutters.

"When were you born, the 1900s?" I growl, "Don't you have a brain in that empty head of yours?"

"Stop it, girls." Mr Craig orders, "Miss Ladris, of course, knows much better than you do, about gays. She is, unlike you, correct."

"That's all bullshit!" Chandini shouts.

"Language, Miss Alexander!" the head yells back.

"Get lost!" Chandini screams, marching straight out of the room.

Mr Craig sits in his chair and leans his head on his hand.

"You may go, Miss Ladris." He tells me.

I leave the room, and head straight up to my dorm.

* * *

**There you go, hope you liked it! ReViEw FoR mE, dEaReSt DaRlInG cHeRrY cUpCaKeS!1!**

**Toodles-  
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**Sophia xo  
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	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry it took so long to update! But this is chapter 13-the age I will be on Saturday! yay!**

**Layla POV in this chapter, that's new...  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gone...I say it in every chapter, you should know that by now...  
**

**Thanks to my wonderful reviewers, adn everyone who has favorited/alerted my story :) Love you all, monkey-crayons!  
And thanks to immortus, as usual, you are awesome :)  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

Layla meets me at lunch, and we eat together, while I tell her about PE.

"Just ignore her, Ann." She tells me, "She's honestly just jealous because she can't attract a member of either sex."

"Oh, well." I sigh, "You're right. I'll just ignore her, and I swear nothing will get on my nerves."

Layla grins at me, "So what about this stepsister of yours? What's the deal with her?"

I shrug, "I'm not sure why she's here. When I lived with dad she was always good. I never thought she'd ever have to come here."

"Maybe you can talk her into swapping dorms with me." Layla suggests.

"Worth I try.' I tell her, giggling.

Layla glances

at her watch and swears, "Ann, I have to go. I'm supposed to go see the head before class. No idea why."

"Good luck." I tell her, and go off to find Molly.

She's sitting with two other girls, one with blonde hair, one with ginger hair.

"Hey, Annie." She says, "This is Elise and Rachel."

"Hey Moll, you know, I was wondering if maybe you and Layla wanted to swap dorms." I ask, sweetly.

She bites her lip, "Are we allowed?"

"Well, not _really_, but Layla and I did it last year, and nobody cared. People don't really care much here, I mean, my mom was able to get pregnant, right?" I explain.

"Who does Layla room with?" Molly asks.

"My little sister." The blond, Elise, replies.

"Um…okay then. I haven't started unpacking." Molly agrees.

"Great!" I smile at her, "Thanks, Moll!"

I go up to my room and take my phone out of my shoulder bag.

3 unread texts: one from Mom, one from Layla and one from Dad.

I text Layla; 'ur movin in w/ me, girlfriend!'

I get her excited reply within a few seconds.

**Layla POV**

I smile at Annie's text, and send a reply. I have English next. I know that my English teacher is homophobic.

I walk into the class exactly on time.

"Miss Collie! Late!" the blonde haired teacher tells me.

"I'm on time, Miss Jamie." I argue, calmly.

"Don't speak back to me." Miss Jamie orders, sharply.

"Sorry, Miss." I mutter under my breath.

I sit next to Rayna Bridges, the rich girl. She doesn't have many friends and she's not homophobic, so, luckily, she doesn't object.

"Firstly, we will be checking that you all know about metaphors and similes." Miss Jamie announces, "Miss Collie, what is a metaphor?"

"A comparison between two things using like or as?" I suggest, knowing this is the meaning of one of the two words which Miss Jamie has written on the board.

"Incorrect." Miss Jamie yells, glaring at me, "You obviously haven't done any revision over the summer. Meet me here after 7th period for detention, and take a punishment exercise."

I sigh, and go up to her desk, lifting a punishment exercise from the pile sitting there.

"Adam, would you like to tell the class the _actual_ meaning of the word metaphor?"

"When one thing is described as another thing?" Adam asks.

"Correct. Well done." Miss Jamie says, smiling at him.

Rayna tells Miss Jamie the meaning of simile, and she changes the topic.

"Well, our topic for this term is Historical. We will be starting by looking at how homosexuals were looked at in the past."

She gives me a pointed look, and I raise my hand. Rayna bites her lip.

"Miss, I'm not comfortable with this subject." I say, firmly.

"Well, you have to write an essay about this, so you really shouldn't miss any." She tells me.

"I'm not doing this." I tell her, flatly.

"Do not take that tone with a teacher, Miss Collie!"

"You can't make me listen to you insult gay people all day! You know I'm a lesbian!" I argue.

"Stand outside." Miss Jamie shouts.

"It's better than here." I mutter, loudly.

I walk to the door, open it, step out and slam it loudly. I've been standing for a couple of minutes when the head teacher walks by. He stops when he sees me.

"Miss Collie? Might I ask why you're teacher has sent you out of her class?" he asks.

"I simply refused to do a topic, sir." I explain.

"And what was said topic?" he asks, not convinced.

"Homosexuals in the past. I know she'll start slagging gays. She's homophobic, and she hates me." I moan.

"Ah." He considers, "I'll speak to her, Layla. In the meantime, you are free to do as you wish for the rest of the period. I assume you have a detention?"

"And a punishment exercise." I add.

"You don't have to do either. I'll call your teacher and let her know." He says.

"Thank you, sir." I say.

I go to my dorm, and, picking up my still packed case, and moving it to Annie's room. Molly's suitcase is still on the bed, but I drag it to the door, and begin to unpack.

**Annie POV**

At the end of the school day, I go back to my room, and Layla is sitting on Molly's-no _her_ bed, playing on her iPhone. She looks up at me and smiles as I walk in.

I spot Molly's bright pink, flowery suitcase sitting by the door.

"I got 5th period off." Layla explains, "So I moved."

"Cool." I say, smiling at my girlfriend and sitting with her on her bed.

"Do you think Molly will want us to move her case for her?" Layla asks.

"I'm sure we'd only be helping her." I agree, picking up my phone and sending Molly a quick text, "Let's go."

Molly's suitcase is surprisingly light, so it's not bad taking it to Layla's old dorm.

Layla dumps her copy of the key on the table in the middle of the room, and head back to our dorm.

**1 and a half months later**

"Bye!" I say, kissing Layla full on the lips.

She kisses me back, "Love you, Ann."

"Love you too!"

**Layla POV**

I walk away from Annie, spotting my sister-in-law, Charlie, standing with Ryan, her youngest kid, in her arms.

"Hi, Charlie!" I call to her.

"Hey, Layla." Charlie replies.

I climb into the back of the car, helping Ryan into his car seat.

My life has been pretty tough since my parents threw me out. I love Annie and I'm extremely lucky to have my brother, but I can't stop loving my parents, even if the feelings aren't mutual.

"I'm afraid your parents are coming round for dinner tonight." Charlie tells me, "I'd go out with you if I could, but I have to cook. If you make plans, it would be totally fine."

"Thanks." I say, "I'll call Annie."

"How was school?" Charlie asks.

"It was school." I reply, simply, "Although my English's teacher's a bitch."

Charlie nods, "That sucks."

"I know." I reply, pulling out my phone to call Annie.

"Hey." I smile at her voice.

"Hi. My parents are coming for dinner, so I was wondering if you wanted to come out?" I say.

She groans, "Oh, Layla, I'm so sorry! I can't tonight-I'm going out with my mom."

"No problem." I tell her, slightly disappointed, but not too much.

"Good luck, Layla." Annie says, sympathetically.

"I'll need it." I reply, only half joking.

I hang up, and lean back against the back of my seat.

"Annie can't make it?" Charlie asks, looking at me, comfortingly.

"Guess so." I reply, clicking my phone off and sighing.

"Sorry." My sister-in-law replies, "You can eat in your room, if you want."

"No, that's okay." I tell her, "My parents will just have to accept that I live with you guys."

Charlie nods in approval, "Good for you, Layla."

I grin at her, about to reply when my phone dings. I switch it on to find out who the text is from. Rayna. That's weird. We swapped numbers because I tend to forget when homework is due, and she reminds me.

I read the text. 'Hey'.

I frown. Why is she texting me? There's no English homework over the holidays.

I text her back, 'hi'.

She replies within two minutes, 'What r u doin?'

'Goin home, y?' I frown at he phone after my text is sent.

The next text pops up almost immediately. 'R u free 2nite?'

This _really_ surprises me.

'Maybe y?'

'Was just wonderin if u wanna go out.'

My eyes widen. Is Rayna _lesbian_? And does she like _me_? Surely she knows about Annie and I.

'Can u explain what's goin on here?' I text.

It's a good 5 minutes before the reply comes through.

'Look, Im gay. Ive just not come out publicly yet. I really like u. Plz dont b angry.'

I frown gently. Poor Rayna, coming out to me when I'm already in a relationship.

'Am sooo sorry. I have a girlfriend. Am not angry with u, but I cant b w/ u rite now.' I reply.

'ok.' The text is pitiful.

I turn my phone off and look at my hands.

"What was that?" Charlie asks.

I shake my head, sadly.

"Is it Annie?" My sister asks, gently.

I shake my head, take a deep breath and explain.

Charlie looks at me for a moment before commenting on my story, "It's okay. You're with Annie."

I give her a wry smile.

"Look-we're here." Charlie says, pulling into the drive, "Go upstairs, start unpacking, and get changed."

"Thanks." I say, opening my door as the car stops, and getting my case from the boot.

* * *

**Hope you liked it! And hopefully, I can update sooner next time!**

**Who likes the new character? It's love triangle time, guys!  
**

**Review for me! PlEaSe!  
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**Toodles-  
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**Sophia xoxo  
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	14. Author's Note

**A/N: Sorry guys, no chapter today, but I need to let you all know that;**

**a) It is my 13th Birthday today!**

**b) I am going on holiday this week (Today until a week today) so I can't update during that time! Really sorry and I'll miss you all!**

**Toodles-**

**Sophia xoxo**


	15. Chapter 14

**HI! I'm back from my holiday and better than ever! I MISSED YOU!**

**IMPORTANT A/N: CHECK OUT THE BOTTOM OF THIS CHAPTER WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED READING IT FOR A SPECIAL SURPRISE!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I own Gone. PSYCH! I don't... *starts crying*  
**

**Enjoy, Panda cookies!  
**

* * *

**Layla POV**

I drag my case to my room, which has an obvious Doctor Who theme. Hey, I couldn't help myself when I saw a life-size TARDIS sticker for my wall!

I set my case down on my bed and unzip it. I pull out a couple of things, but I hate unpacking, so I leave most of it for tomorrow.

I pull my long, knitted cardigan over my shoulders, and sit on the blue chair, which is turned away from my little wooden desk. I pull my blue, sticker-covered, laptop out of it's bag, and put it on my desk, plugging it in and turning it on, before going downstairs.

When I get downstairs, my little niece, Amandla, who is 7, jumps into my arms. I swing her round, which I can only do thanks to her being very light.

My brother, Scott, comes through, and hugs me.

"How was school?" he asks.

I shrug, "Okay, for Coates."

He laughs, "Yeah, yeah." Then his face darkens slightly, "Charlie told you that Mom and Dad are coming for dinner, right?"

"Yes." I nod as I speak.

"You're okay with that right?"

"Sure." I reply, "They can just deal with it."

Scott grins at me, "Well done, Layla."

I go upstairs, and, by the time I've finished packing, the doorbell rings. Despite what I told both Charlie and Scott, I'm nervous about seeing my parents. I haven't been within 5 metres of them since I came out, and I'm not completely ready to talk to them again.

Scott opens the door, accompanied by Amandla, her little sister, Serenity, and Ryan.

My parents come in, and at first they don't see me. I'm not sure if they even know I'm back from school.

"Scott!" my mother cries, hugging him, and then turns to my nieces and nephew. My father does the same.

When my mother catches sight of me, standing by the stairs, holding the banister like a life preserver, she flushes red, and hisses something to my brother. He replies, calmly, and no more is said. For now, at least.

My parents, and my brother's family, all go and sit in the living room. Charlie walks slightly slower, and when everyone else has left, she says, "Come on, Layla. This is your house, don't let them push you about in it."

I smile at her, and follow her through to the living room, where everyone else is now seated. Charlie winks at me, and I grin back.

"Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!" I say, still smiling.

My mother averts her eyes, and both stay silent. Scott looks from me to our parents.

"Layla." Charlie says, trying to sound casual. "Would you help me in the kitchen, honey?"

I send her a grateful smile and reply, "Of course."

We go through, and I sigh.

"They can't even say hello to me." I mutter under my breath.

"I know." Charlie sympathizes, "Just ignore them, and you'll be fine. You survived that English teacher, right?"

"But they're my _parents_! They're supposed to love me no matter what." I whisper.

"Yes, they should. It's incredibly selfish to blank you like this-but you'll survive. You're the strongest person I know!"

I sigh again, but reply, "Thanks, Charlie, honestly."

"Any time, sweetie." My sister says, "Now, can you put those chips into those baskets, and put them on the coffee table? There are dips too."

I do as I've been told, and when I take everything through, I almost spill chips on the floor, but manage to be okay.

"Thanks, Layla." Scott says, with a fierce look at our parents.

"Yes, thank you." My mother says, stiffly, not looking at me. My father repeats her actions.

"No, no, that's fine." I say, being obviously sarcastic.

Mom looks up, about be say something along the lines of, 'Don't be cheeky to me, young lady,' but stops. I wish she had said it. I turn my face towards my nervously twisting hands.

Scott starts a conversation, and I don't listen. It's only when I hear the line, "Oh, you should meet Annie! She's a lovely girl!" from Scott.

"Who's that?" Dad asks.

Before Scott can reply, I butt in, "She's my girlfriend."

I see my parents tense up, and it infuriates me.

"Oh, for God's sake, get over it! I'm lesbian, but I still have a partner-if you don't want to say girlfriend!" I cry.

"How can we get over it?" my mother demands, sharply, "You're a freak! Our child, our original daughter, a freak!"

"Original daughter?" I question, suddenly suspicious.

My father nods, "That's correct. As we have removed you from our family, we are adopting a girl your age. We're picking her up tomorrow."

This just kills me inside. I can't help feeling all the worst feelings, jealousy, betrayal, anger, sadness, self-pity, and all at the same time.

The worst is that after the news has been passed to me, after she has seen my reaction, my mother gives a small smile. I can't take it any more, and I'm about to leave the room when the door goes.

Scott goes to get it, with a whisper to me, "Stay here, Layla. Don't go."

I nod, and sit, crying silently, while my parents play with the kids. I listen for Scott to speak.

"Annie! Layla's just in the sitting room."

I can't stop myself smiling through my tears. Trust Annie to come along when I'm practically dying here. Annie and her mom, Diana come through, and the second Annie spots my tears, she sits next to me and wraps her arms around me.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see my parents cringing at the embrace. I kiss Annie for good measure.

"We were wondering if you wanted to come out with us?" Annie tells me, "We're going to the Chinese."

"That would be amazing." I reply, "Seriously."

So we go out and when I get back, my parents are both gone. I go up to bed, move my case onto the ground, and lie on my stomach, in bed, in my bra and panties, thinking.

I remember when I was 13. Scott and Charlie were engaged, and they already had Amandla, but they were not yet married. I had a boyfriend, called Jack. He was popular and good-looking, and I had been dating him for about 3 weeks. The only thing about dating Jack that I still remember clearly was the break up. We were coming home from a date, and he tried to kiss me before I went inside. I don't know why, but I got scared, and didn't let him. He assumed I was trying to make him look stupid, and he slapped my face. I screamed, and Scott came out of the house.

When he saw the hand print on my cheek, and Jack's angry face, he put two and two together. He beat Jack up and started screaming at him. Jack was the last boy I ever dated.

I met Zara the next year, and she was, to me, a flawless human being. She had bronze skin, chocolate brown eyes and long, black, silky hair. We became friends in a matter of days, and it was only about a month before our friendship grew into something big, and, in so many ways, better.

When Zara's parents got jobs in England, and the family had to move, I thought I would never recover. I loved her, and she loved me too, from what I could understand. It took me a few weeks after Zara left to admit anything to my parents.

When I did tell them, they cut off any means of contact between Zara and myself, and 3 days later, when I got back from school, all of my stuff was packed up, and my parents told me I couldn't live there any more. I was, and still am, very lucky that Scott was always going to be there for me.

I turn over, onto my back, and realise that I've been crying, because of the damp patch on my pillow. I shut my eyes and relax, slowly falling asleep.

* * *

** Hopses you liksed that! *Smeagol voice***

**Here's a question for the reviews along with your regular constructive critisizm/good bits: What are you going as for Halloween? I'm going to be a baby, onesie, dummy and all :)  
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**NOW FOR THE EXTRA SPECIAL NEWS: *Drumroll*: You, the readers of my story, get to decide whether Caine and Diana get back together or not! I know-it's like one of those Choose Your Own Adventure books! I've only ever read one, and I died numerous times so...yeah...  
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**This votey thing works like this:  
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**If you want Caina to become a couple again: PM me 'Yes'  
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**If they are never ever ever getting back together: PM me 'Nope'  
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**And, of course, there are rules too;  
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**1: I will not be voting...  
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**2: Yes, immortus, you can vote if you want :)  
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**3: You can only vote by PMs, so guests can't vote (sorry)  
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**4: One person can only vote one time per day-and I will be checking!  
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**5: If you Caina shippers win the vote, don't be expecting the couple to get back together right away, but be patient!  
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**6: The contest ends 31st October, which gives you slightly longer than a week! Vote away!  
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**Sophia xoxo  
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	16. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! Sorry it's taken ages to upload! My internet was down :( Here you go-better late than never!**

**So, some Molly POV at the very start...that's new...and a new character thrown into the mix! Wonder if you can guess who it is from the previous chapter?!  
**

**Thanks to: My reviewers (Please PM me so we can chat and I can feel like I have friends...forever alone...) immortus (Thanks for all the help) My mum (Well, without her I wouldn't be here, and therefore this story (or my child-as I like to say) would never have been created) and my doggie (Shout out for Keely! Whoo!)  
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**P.S. Do any of you have YouTube accounts? (Subscribe to me-I'm Sophia Everdeen) if you do are you doing Supernote? If so-what team are you on? I debated with my mind for weeks before deciding on LLAMARMY (Not because we're winning, because Danisnotonfire is AWESOME!) Tell me your username and I'll subscribe to you!  
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**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gone. You should know that by now.  
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**Enjoy and I'll see you at the end :)  
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* * *

**Molly POV**

I actually enjoyed Coates, much to my surprise. Annie made out that it was terrible. I only started to misbehave because I wanted to see her again. I had no idea that she was gay. I guess it doesn't really matter, but I imagined us and our boyfriends doing stuff together. I'm pretty sure that I'm not homophobic, but I find it awkward. Two girls or guys together, I mean.

I go to say bye to Annie, but she's kissing Layla, so I leave it, and head in Caine and Mom's direction. Both of them are beaming.

"Hey, Moll." Mom starts in a tone which tells me she has more to say.

"Yeah?" I reply, almost nervous.

"You're going to have a little brother or sister!" Mom squeals.

I stare at her, blankly, and then smile.

"Congratulations, guys!" I say.

"And, because of that." Caine begins to continue Mom's speech, "We're going to get married."

My smile grows, "Can I be the-"

"Maid of honour?" Mom interrupts, "Of course!"

"I can't wait!" I say, completely honest.

"We'll have to invite Annie." Caine says, and I notice Mom pull a face out of the corner of my eye.

"Not her mother, though." Mom questions, cautiously.

"Course not." Caine says, "It's our day, babe."

I turn away from watching them kiss, and see Annie's mom, Diana, hasn't gotten into her car yet. She's looking in our direction, staring, with an unreadable expression on her face.

At first I assume she is watching Mom and Caine kiss, and is secretly angry, but when I follow her gaze, it leads me into thin air.

**Diana POV**

When I see Caine kiss his Cara girl, I get an overwhelming feeling of regret and sadness, and before I know it, I'm thinking of our old Coates days. It's a few seconds before I snap away from the daydream, and catch Cara's daughter, Molly, staring at me.

I pulled away from my mind, and got into the car, not even wanting to think of what Molly was thinking about me.

**Layla POV**

The thought of my parents replacing me with a little kid was fine, or even a boy my age, but a girl? It hurt. She's the same as me, although I'm going to take a wild guess that she's straight.

I lie on my back in my bed. They're all coming here today. My parents, and their new daughter, who's name I don't know.

"Layla!" Charlie calls from the bottom of the stairs, "Up!"

I groan, and step out of my bed. I dress in a pair of skinny jeans, a Hunger Games t-shirt.

When I get downstairs, Serenity hugs me first, then starts to gab about her dolls, who I notice are all dressed in ball gowns, and sitting on the table.

I sit down and pick up a bowl and a box or cereal. I don't really care which kind it is.

I'm only just finished, when there's a knock at the door. Ryan jumps up and goes to try and open it. Serenity runs off to tell Charlie and Scott, but Amandla stays with me, holding my hands, like she's protecting me. The gesture makes me smile.

Scott walks through the room, smiles at Amandla and I, and then goes and opens the door. When the three people come in, I get my first look at my…_replacement_.

My heart drops when I see her. The girl is beautiful. She has bright blonde hair, cut into lots of layers. Her skin is pale, but on her it looks pretty. Her eyes are chocolate brown, like Annie's, but, frankly, I prefer Annie's.

What's worse is she stalks around with her nose in the air, thinking she's better than everyone else.

I see Amandla look at her, and scrunch up her tiny nose, making me laugh.

My mother gives me a sharp look, and then turns to Scott.

"This is Ava." She says.

Ava smiles at my brother, "I guess you're like my brother." She says, "I wanted a brother."

Scott shoots me a look, which I return before her speaks, "Hi, Ava. I'm Scott."

Before she can reply, my phone starts ringing, and by 'ringing' I mean 'starts blasting music at full volume'.

I grab my phone and check who's calling. Annie. I accept the call and hold my phone to my ear.

"Hey Layla!" she says, and I can tell by her voice that she's excited.

"Hey, Ann." I reply, "What's up?"

"My dad and Cara are getting married!"

I smile, "Lucky! You get to be a bridesmaid-again!"

"It gets better." Annie tells me.

"Yeah?"

"You get to be a bridesmaid too!"

I grin, "OMG! Thanks Ann!"

Then I shut up, only now realizing that I've been shouting. Everyone is staring at me.

"I gotta go." I say, apologetically.

"Same." Annie agrees, "See you soon."

"See ya." I reply, and then I click the phone off.

"What was that?" Charlie asks, shaking her head at me.

"I'm gonna be a bridesmaid!" I say.

Amandla gasps, "Not fair!"

"Who's bridesmaid, exactly?"

"Uh…Annie's stepsister's mum, I guess. Her dad's getting married."

I turn and see Ava glaring at me. I scowl back.

"How come you get to be a bridesmaid?" Amandla grumbles.

I ruffle her hair, "Because I just do."

My mom sniffs, loudly.

"Would you like a tissue, mom?" I ask, careful to address her as my mother.

She shakes her head in three sharp movements.

"Are you Daddy's sister?" Serenity asks Ava.

She opens her mouth to reply, but I get there first, "No, not really. That's me!"

Serenity nods, and Charlie squeezes my shoulder, telling me silently that she approves of my comment. I can't say the same for Ava. She glares at me, and then turns to Serenity.

"Actually, I _am_ your aunt."

Serenity frowns, "But why don't you live with us then?"

I smile at my niece, "Because there was only room for one aunt in this house!" I tell her.

The little girl giggles, and hugs me. Ava is fuming.

"Mandie?" Charlie says, referring to Amandla by her nickname, "Do you want to help me with the chips?"

Amandla jumps up, beaming, excited to help, and follows her mother to the kitchen.

"Ava has her birthday next week. We were wondering if you, Charlie and the little ones could come round?" my dad addresses Scott, before giving me a look which quite clearly told me I wouldn't be welcome there.

Scott glances at me, and then speaks to my parents, "And Layla?"

My mother tenses up, and I sigh. I'm perfectly happy to let it slide, but apparently Scott doesn't feel the same way.

"Oh, for God's sake." He says, angrily, "This is ridiculous! Layla is a thousand times more grown up than the pair of you! This is your daughter! Your own flesh and blood! You should love her no matter what-not kick her out of her house and refuse to acknowledge the fact that you are her parents."

Only now coming through, Charlie joins the conversation, "I second that. You _are _being irresponsible parents-no better than the bullies Layla already has to deal with!"

"She's a freak." My father growls, "An abomination to our family. My daughter was that little boy-band obsessed 12-year-old, not some slutty dyke!"

"I like how you just automatically assume that because I'm interested in girls rather than boys, I'm a slut." I retort, "I mean, that's not judgemental or rude _at all_."

My mother glares at me, "Keep your nose out of the conversation."

"Why? This conversation is about her, after all." Charlie argues.

"Why are you arguing against us, Scott? We're your parents, and, you said it yourself, parents are important." My father shouts.

"Because I'm sticking up for my sister. My sister who has grown up from being an immature little boy-band obsessed kid, and is now a responsible young woman, who has discovered things about herself that she didn't know before. She's a better person than both of you put together!"

"That's ridiculous!" my mother tells him, "She hasn't 'discovered' anything about herself, all she did was decide 'Oh, I want to be a lesbian freak!' We raised her to be better than that!"

"You don't _decide_ to be gay!" I say, furious, "It's not something you can choose! You think I'd choose to have my parents cast me out? Really? I love Annie the way you love dad. The way you used to love me. And I'm not a freak. Being gay is perfectly normal."

"Normal?" Ava starts up for the first time, "No way! Men and Women are made for each other, it's just science! You're a freak and it's immature of you to lie about things as obvious as that!"

"Me? Immature?" I cry, "Look who's talking."

"You have no right to say that." Ava says, all snobby, "You don't even know me."

"Then maybe you should learn to not judge people because of their sexuality." I tell her, "Because that, Ava, is _extremely_ immature."

My mother glares at me.

"I'm not staying down here to be insulted for no good reason at all." I tell my parents and Ava, before stalking up the stairs.

* * *

**Hope you liked it! You have three days left to vote (not including today-so you can actually vote 4 times) The details for voting were in the last chapter-lots of you are voting in the reviews. Sorry, but it doesn't count. I'm only going to count PMs. So PM me! Don't be lazy!**

**After saying that, I'm going to be a hypocrite and say review! BUT don't leave your vote in a review-it won't count.  
**

**Bye-  
**

**Sophia xoxo  
**


	17. Chapter 16

**Guys, I am so sorry. I've had the WORST Writer's block ever o this story, and it freaking sucks. But you know what sucks more? This chapter is really short and lame and AAARRRGGGHHH! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! **

**In other news, remember that voting thing we had going on? You wanna know who won? Well, Caina shippers will be happy that Caine and Diana will, at some point in this story, be getting back together :) They will get their Happy Ever After, don't worry :D  
**

**Anyhow, stay tuned at the bottom of the story-make sure you read it to once again participate in my story!  
**

**Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers! I wuv you! immortus, thank you, although I didn't really use your ideas this chapter!  
**

* * *

**Diana POV**

I sit on the sofa, next to Annie. She's watching Big Bang Theory. Again.

She looks up as I sit down.

"Hey, Mom."

"Hey, Ann."

"Mom…"

"Yes?" I raise an eyebrow. I know that tone.

"Well, it's my birthday next week…"

I smile, "I know, I was wondering what you were wanting."

"Um…I know you'll probably say no, but I was wondering if we could get a dog?" She smiles at me, hopefully.

I consider it. With no little kids in the house, I'm sure a dog would be perfectly manageable.

"Well, only if you promise to look after the dog, take it for walks, all that stuff." I remind her.

"Of course I would." She promises.

"Then we can go to the dog shelter tomorrow and you can pick one up." I tell her, "And you need to look after her very well while you're on holiday, considering you'll be at school soon."

"I swear, Mom." Annie tells me.

"Okay, then." I smile at her, "Finish with the TV, and then go to bed, right?"

"Right." She agrees, turning her head back to the screen.

**The Next Day**

I'm up bright and early. We're going to the local dog shelter so Annie can pick one. I wait for about 20 minutes before yelling her name up the stairs.

"Annie! Get up! If you want to take the dog home today, we need to go in 30 minutes!"

I hear her groan, and then get up. She's downstairs in 5 minutes flat. We get breakfast, and then leave.

The dog shelter is huge, noisy and smelly. I never had a dog when I was little; my dad said it wouldn't be fair because we were both out so often. Now that I work from home, it's not a problem.

"Hello!" A short, blonde teenager comes over, "How can we help you?"

"We've come about getting a dog." I reply, smiling, politely.

"No problem." She says, "You'll want a puppy, no?"

"A puppy would be ideal." I tell her.

She smiles, and beckons, "Follow me."

We follow her into a room of caged dogs, some big, most small.

"Just tell me if you want to see one and I can bring it out." The teenager tells us.

"Thank you." Annie says.

"No problem." The teenager smiles again.

Annie heads over to a small dog in the corner. It's a little cocker spaniel, brown and white. The puppy licks her hand, and whines.

"Can I see this one?" Annie asks.

The teenager nods, "Sure."

When the dog gets out of it's cage, it climbs onto Annie's lap and starts to nibble at her sleeve.

Annie grins, and pushes the dog away, slightly.

"She's a little girl." The teenager tells Annie, "one of my little favourites, she's very friendly. Doesn't have a name yet, though."

Annie looks at me, "Mom, I wanna get her!"

I nod, "Okay."

"She's $650," The girl tells me, "You can pay now, and take the dog home today, or come back later."

"We'll take her today." I say, smiling at Annie, who is holding the puppy in her arms, and trying to avoid being licked in the face.

"Okay." The teenager says, looking at the till.

"Can I use a credit card?" I ask.

"Yeah, sure." She replies.

When the dog is paid for, we leave her in the car, and go to buy her some stuff.

Annie chooses a pink, sparkly collar, and a heart shaped tag to hang on it. We get two leads, a blue one and a purple one. We buy bowls, food and a small bed with a blanket and a mini mattress thing.

We drag all the stuff to the car and have slight trouble fitting it in, much to the little dog's annoyance.

When we get home, Annie gets away with not helping me bring everything in, because she's got the puppy.

She's pretty shy, getting into her little bed as soon as it's been set up.

"What do you want to call her?" I ask, "It's your choice, but please don't pick something stupid, like Cupcake."

Lynn's dog, a golden retriever, is named Cupcake, and the one time agreed to walk the dog with her, I was incredibly embarrassed.

Annie laughs, "No problem."

* * *

**I know it was short but pretty pretty please don't hate me! I really hope you liked it, although I'll understand if you don't really :(**

**So, in all important news, I have a challenge for you! Leave any suggestions for that sweet little puppy's name in the reviews! (Along with your comments on my story 'crappy edition')  
**

**Toodles-  
**

**Sophia xoxoxooxoxxoxoxooxoxxoxooxox oxooxo (Well, that got a bit out of hand...)  
**


	18. Chapter 17

**I"M BACK! I honestly can't apologize to you guys for how long I've been. It's ridiculous-the last time I updated was last year! So, a belated happy Christmas, and happy New Year to you all because I'm so lazy. I went to visit this story, and realized-OMG 100 REVIEWS! I love you all, I swear, I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! So I was like, okay this isn't fair for me to do this to my beautiful reviewers (whom I cherish very much!) and so I wrote this. **

**I know-for a break the size of the one I've taken, this is pitiful. Absolutely pitiful. I'm sorry (again)! Only 900 and some words...I'm sorry! Hopefully I will update soon-no promises unless I break them but I will try my very hardest! You see, I don't have my own computer, I share with my whole family (and there's 6 of us!) so that's my excuse. I'm sorry. Really. **

**Anyhow-please review (even though I am not deserving!) and I love you all-enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I've missed the disclaimers...I don't own Gone (guys I'm tired I can't think of anything witty today)**

**Enjoy, sugar monkey muffins!**

* * *

**Layla POV**

I stand in the middle of my bedroom, staring blankly into my wardrobe. Annie and I are having our one-year anniversary, and I have no idea what I'll wear.

I hear a knock on the door, and Charlie calls, "Can I come in?"

"Yeah." I call back, and my sister-in-law opens the door.

She sighs at me, "Come on, Layla, I'll help you pick something."

I end up in a short, lacy, white and black dress, and black leggings with a lace trim. I've got a pair of Charlie's shoes on, little black heeled sandals, and my hair is curled and piled on top of my head in a bun. I've got pearl bracelets, a diamond necklace and dangly diamond earrings. Charlie's done my make up and I'm wearing far too much perfume. I even have a tiny pearl-coloured over-the-shoulder bag.

Scott and Charlie have taken the kids out to McDonalds, so I grab my car keys, complete with their bright pink keychain, and the $30 my brother has left me from the table, and hop into the front seat of my dark blue Renault, turning the key in the ignition, and driving off to Annie's house.

When I arrive, I get out of the car and knock on the door. Diana opens it, and smiles at me.

"You look stunning, Layla. You want to meet the puppy?"

I smile at my girlfriend's mom, "Yeah, that would be awesome."

"Annie named her Tinker." Diana tells me, "They're in the living room."

I follow Diana through, and smile. Annie is sitting on the sofa, the famous puppy I've seen 50 times in Facebook photos sitting next to her. Annie is wearing a light blue dress, with white opaque tights and silver high heels. Her hair has been straightened and it's held in place by a pretty white hairband, adorned with a white bow. She has her white gold necklace, 3 blue bangles, pearl earrings and a white clutch bag.

She looks up as I walk in and grins, "You look amazing."

"Not as amazing as you." I reply, walking over, "Or your little doggie-she's beautiful."

"She's a nightmare." Annie tells me, "But I still love her."

We detach Tinker from Annie, and the pair of us go out to my car.

We get to the restaurant, a fancy place, and it's pretty expensive too. We order our meals, and they come quickly.

"I can't believe we've only been together for a year." Annie tells me, "It feels like forever."

"Probably because so much has happened." I reply, "Anyway, what do you want for your birthday? I have no idea what to get you!"

"Dunno." Annie shrugs, "Make up, jewellery, perfume, all that stuff. Or something for Tinker."

I nod, "Cool. I still can't believe your gonna be 19, though! I've still got three months."

Annie laughs her perfect, tinkly laugh, and I join her.

"When's your dad's wedding?" I ask.

"It's three weeks tomorrow. Dad will pick both of us up on the Saturday, and then we can make the wedding on Sunday."

"Okay." I say, "When do we get to see our dresses?"

"I've got a picture on my phone." Annie tells me, reaching into her little clutch bag.

Our dresses are almost beautiful. I'm not sure about the colour, magenta, but the actual dresses are gorgeous.

"I'm excited now." I giggle as I speak, and Annie joins in.

When we finish our dinners, we split the bill, and go back to Scott and Charlie's, and pretty much spend the night pigging out on sweets and chocolate until we fall asleep.

**Annie POV**

I wake up in a mess of sweet wrappers, both Layla and I lying on the floor, her still snoring away comically. I grin at her, and reach over to wake her up by tickling her stomach.

Layla squeals and sits up, smacking me hand away and demanding that I shut up as she laughs at me. She's not a morning person, I know, but I sweeten her up with a lingering kiss, and she settles for just giving me dirty look.

We trudge downstairs, and Charlie and the kids are all up already.

"Girls!" Charlie cries, "What were you doing last night? I heard sweet wrappers all night."

"Sorry Charlie." Layla says automatically.

"I think your mum's bringing Ava round to 'bond' with the kids." Charlie tells us, "You may wanna scarper."

I frown, and say, "Nah, let's stay. Ava can deal with it."

"That's ma girl." Layla jokes, lightly smacking my arm.

We both go upstairs, and I get changed into some of Layla's clothes because we're the same size, and I've not brought anything over. A few minutes after we arrive downstairs, the doorbell goes.

Charlie gives us a reassuring grin, then goes and gets the door, letting Layla's mum, someone who, although I barely know her, I hate with a burning passion, and Ava, Layla's parents adoptive daughter.

"Oh." Layla's mother says, when she sees my girlfriend, "She's still here."

"Yes, Mom, and I'm not planning on leaving." Layla replied.

Mrs Collie turns to me, and, recognizing me, sniffs.

"Ava, this is Annie." Charlie introduces me, "Ann, this is Ava. She's Layla's parents' adoptive daughter."

"Oh, we don't like to say 'adoptive' daughter, Charlie." Mrs Collie says, a fake smile plastered across her face, "She's our daughter, that's it."

The look Layla's mom gives her real daughter is one that hurts me, and I'm not even on the receiving end of the glare. I see Ava with her eye on me, and, with a slight smirk in their direction, I kiss Layla's lips, and she kisses back, winking at me.

I actually hear Ava make a sound of disgust, which does little but disgust me.

"Problem, Ava?" I ask, as Layla and I break apart.

If looks could kill.

* * *

**I know- 'I waited months, Sophia. MONTHS. And this is what you give me?'  
**

**I'm SOWWEEEEE! (that was me typing with a lisp...just fyi because I'm crap and you probably can't tell)  
**

**Also, I just want to say some thank yous and stuff like that in honour of 'Diana's return to fanfiction;**

**immortus: dude we haven't spoken in ages! Maybe you'll see this and message me...pretty please? **

**MY BEAUTIFUL WONDERFUL BEST-PEOPLE-ON-THE-INTERNET REVIEWERS: I love you all! I know I don't deserve your 100 (!) reviews, but keep leaving them, yeah? You are all gorgeous and I love you!**

**(Oh God I've waited so long to do this...)**

**Toodles, my banana marshmallow muffins-**

**Sophia xxoxooxoxoxooxoxoxox**


	19. Chapter 18

**Hey, guys. I'm sorry. Again. I let my story fall to page 2 of the Gone fanfiction site. Please forgive me. Anyhoos...have you guys read Light yet...I got it on Sunday morning (the Sunday that just happened) and was finished it in 4 to 5 hours...no spoilers in case you guys haven't read it yet-but it's amazing and heartbreakingly sad...it's just that, reading Gone and Hunger again, everyone is so full of personality and they're all such strong characters, and then you read Light, and I can only say that everyone is just so broken. **

**Sorry, that's enough ranting...if you haven't read Light yet, get your hands on it ASAP, you won't regret it!**

**Also...anyone watch Doctor Who here? If so, wasn't the episode last Saturday INCREDIBLE...don't be fooled by the wifi...**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gone. If I did, Light wouldn't have been so horribly, wonderfully heartbreaking...**

* * *

**Layla POV**

I loop my arm over Annie's shoulders, and smile sweetly at my Mom and Ava.

"I'll be off then." Mom states, her face showing that she's trying not to get mad.

"Bye, Mom." Ava calls after her, and I struggle to keep my temper, managing not to punch the teenager in the face.

Mom leaves, and Charlie comes back into the room. "So, Ava. What exactly were you planning on doing?"

"Oh, just getting to know the family, you know, you, Scott and the kids."

Ava opens her mouth to go on, but Charlie clears her throat.

"Yes?" Ava cocks her head to the side like a dog.

"Layla is part of this family too, you know." She says, looking like she's trying not to give Ava the death look that this whole family knows so well.

"Well, she's not part of my family." Ava tells Charlie, but she looks at me the whole time she's speaking.

"Then neither are my children." Charlie said, her expression icy.

Ava swallows, and the smiles prettily at my sister-in-law, "I'm sorry, Charlie. I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't offend me." Charlie says, still frowning at Ava, "But I think you may have offended my sister."

I smile, and reply, "I'm not offended, Charlie, I don't waste my time being offended by homophobes. She's just jealous that my life is so much better than hers."

Ava glares at me, and I give her a pitying look to further annoy her.

"C'mon, Ann." I say, pulling my girlfriend's arm and we leave, heading back to Annie and Diana's place.

When we reach Annie's house, she unlocks the door, moaning that her mom probably isn't even awake yet.

"Mom!" she yells, stepping into the house.

We hear a muffled groan from upstairs, and Annie turns to me, her face exasperated, "Told you."

I smile at her, pushing her shoulder a little, before going to play with Tinker.

**Diana POV**

I pull myself out of bed with a groan when I hear Annie's voice, and quickly wrap my bright blue dressing gown around me, stumbling down the stairs, to where Annie and Layla are sitting playing with Tinker in the middle of the floor.

"Hey, girls." I say, yawning.

"Good morning." Layla turns to look at me, while my daughter ignores me.

"Have you guys had breakfast?" I ask, pulling out my own cereal.

"I'm fine." Layla answers.

"Yeah, me too." Annie looks up at me and smiles.

Layla stays and plays with Tinker for an hour or so, and then she leaves.

Immediately after Layla leaves, Annie says, "Mom?"

"Yes?" I reply, turning in my seat to face her.

"Mom, I was wondering about something, and I want your opinion."

"What is it?" I ask. Annie's face tells me that she's worried.

"Mom, Layla and I are both almost 19, and I was…well I was wondering about proposing."

My eyes widen.

"Well?" Annie swallows hard, studying my face, trying to tell what I'm thinking.

"Annie, I think it's fine. I can't really talk about doing things to young, I mean; I was only 15 when I had you. But, Annie, don't take this the wrong way, but is it legal yet?" I bite my lip, not wanting to offend my little girl.

She smiles at me, "It is in some states, I was researching it a few nights ago, but good news, it's legal in California, so it's fine."

"Then go ahead, Annie, ask her. I bet you don't have a ring or anything, do you?"

"Not really." I say, "I was wondering if you wanted to go shopping?"

"Sounds good to me." I say, "I'll just go get changed, okay?"

**Annie POV**

In the jewellery shop, I'm lucky enough that the woman working there is lovely and supportive that I'm proposing to another girl.

"Well, what colour eyes does she have?" the woman asks.

"They're brown." I reply.

"Well, how about diamonds? That usually goes well." The woman takes a ring out of the glass case.

It's a plain silver band on the bottom half. The top half is three slim silver bands twisted together, like a plait in somebody's hair, and it has tiny diamonds resting in the spaces.

"Oh, that's gorgeous." Mum comments, "I think Layla will love it."

"I hope so." I reply, and then I turn to the woman, "How much is it."

"It's very expensive, I'm afraid, $733.17" The woman bites her lip, "Look, don't tell anyone, but I'll give you it half-price."

"Thank you." I say.

Mom looks at me, worried, "Do you have the money, Ann?"

"I've been saving up, Mom, I can buy it." I reply, and it's true, I can afford the ring. Truthfully, I could buy it at the full price, but the woman's offering to give me it half price, so that means I can get a wedding ring too."

I pay for the ring, and hide it in my room, but somewhere that Tinker can't get it.

I call Layla and she agrees to come over in a week's time, where Mom has agreed so set up the dream date for me to propose.

**Layla POV**

"Charlie!" I call, running down the stairs a couple at a time.

"What?" she yells back.

"Ann's just called she wants me to go over a week today. And she wants me to not go in jeans. Like, as in a serious date."

"I need to find another dress to put you in? I'll try, Layla."

Ava sniffs at me, as I walk in.

**One week later**

I can always trust Charlie to put me in a fancy dress on short notice. The dress she's put me in is purple, reaches down to my feet, and had sequins and other sparkly bits dotted around all over it.

She drives me to Annie and Diana's house, leaving Scott, not without complaining, with the little kids.

Annie gets the door when I get there, and she's wearing a dress too, a medium length pink one with a pencil skirt.

I follow her into the house, and the living room has been turned into what Annie and I had decided was our dream date. There were candles everywhere, a table of food and Pepsi, because we are so romantic, and neither of us like wine, and Kate & Leopold sitting on top of the TV. Tinker is in the kitchen with Diana, I'm told, away from the food.

"Oh, Annie, you legend." I turn to her and kiss her cheek.

We sit down, and watch the movie, managing to eat all the food.

Annie goes to the toilet, and I sit, watching the credits of the movie, waiting for Annie to come back, which she does, pretty fast.

I turn the TV off, and the music from the credits stops.

"Layla, can I ask you something?" her voice wavers, and I start to wonder what's made her look so nervous.

"Of course." I reply, looking at her questioningly.

And then she kneels down. On one knee. I feel my eyes widen and my heart is in my throat.

"Layla Collins, will you marry me?"

My jaw drops and I feel the happy tears well up in my eyes. I look down at the ring, which is beautiful.

"Yes." I gasp, "Oh my God, Annie, Yes."

She slips the silver ring onto my finger and we hug.

"Do you need a ring then, Ann?" I ask, "I can get you one, if you want."

"Only if you want to, Layla, but I'd love one."

"Well then." I grin, "Looks like I'm taking Charlie a shopping trip tomorrow."

**The next day**

Scott comes to get me the next day, and Diana gets the door, and brings him through, where I hide the hand with the diamond ring on it.

"Guess what." I say.

"What?"

I lift up my hand and flash the ring in his face.

He grabs my hand and grins at me, "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yup." I say, smiling at the look on his face.

"Stay away from Charlie. She'll have you both out looking for dresses in seconds." he jokes, hugging me.

"See you later, then, Ann." I say, kissing her.

When we get home, I show Charlie the ring, and she practically has a meltdown.

"Oh, Layla, it's lovely! You'll need to get Annie a ring, won't you? I can take you shopping if you want."

I sigh, and head up to my room, highly anticipating being taken shopping in approximately one day.

* * *

**I feel like that was a rubbish ending. Sorry, guys, I know you must hate me!**

**Well, review for me, maybe? How are you enjoying the Easter holidays, if you're on them now, like me? **

**And before you go, have some free wifi; ┓┏ 凵 ****=╱⊿┌┬┐ (you'll either get that or you won't)**

**Toodles-**

**Sophia xoxoxoxooxoxoox**


	20. Chapter 19

**So...hey...**

**Yeah, I hate myself, and you all probably hate me too. And you deserve to. I'm such a slow updater now-particularly as this chapter is basically just the wedding and it's honestly pathetic that I took this long. my apologies. And just to let you know-this chapter is entirely Annie and Layla fluff (for obvious reasons-it's their wedding!) but I promise the next chapter will be all (or at least mostly) Diana/Caine interaction. Not Caina specifically, at least not at the start, but just as friends. But I think (because of that poll a while back) you can take a not-so-wild guess as to wear that could be leading... **

**The wedding in this chapter is mainly based off of my aunt and uncle's wedding about a month ago...in fact today's the 6th of May 2013. Exactly a month ago today! Happy one month anniversary if for some reason you guys have discovered this...God forbid!**

**DISCLAIMER: Yeah no, I'm hardly good enough to write fanfiction, you think I could be Michael Grant? HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!**

**Before you read this update, I just want to say thank you-thank you for reading this and either enjoying or hating it. Thanks for reviewing, with praise or hate-it's still nice that you take those few seconds to bother reviewing! Thank you for sticking by me, both when I updated twice a week, and now that I'm updating once a freaking month! Thank you for getting mad at me because this story isn't so Caina-y anymore. Just thanks. Hearts and kisses to you all, my strawberry muffin flakes! I love you!**

**Wow. What was that ^^? Oh well, ta guys, I 3 you all! **

**Sidenote: Anybody else watch Downton Abbey? AAAaaaAAAAaaHHHhhhHHhhh!1! Talk about perfection and tradgedy...SYBIL AND MATTHEW WHY JULIAN FELLOWES BLOODY WHY?**

**Yeah...Enjoy, sugarpie!**

* * *

Annie and I Facebook message each other back and forth, talking about wedding things. She immediately starts on dresses, whereas I'm thinking about cake. What does that tell you?

**The Day Of The Wedding**

**Annie POV**

I sit on the chair in the hairdressers, while the woman behind me curls and pins up my hair into a swoopy, curly mess to one side of my head.

I know Layla's getting her hair put into a bun. It took a lot of persuading, but finally Charlie gave in to letting Layla wear a suit. She did want her say in my dress, however.

My dress is perfect in every way. I think it's the most beautiful wedding dress in the world, but then again, I am a little bit biased… It's long, sleeveless, with a huge lacy train, and it has a sequined bodice with one 14-carat diamond right in the middle of it. It used to belong to my grandma on my mom's side, and mom wore it too, so it's my old and borrowed thing for that superstitious rhyme;

_Something Old_

_Something New_

_Something Borrowed_

_Something Blue_

I bought a veil as well, a diamond tiara, with blue bits in it, so it can be the new and blue part. It looks pretty normal, but the veil is actually as long as the dress.

I pay for the hairdressing, and then get a taxi to my house, where Mom's waiting for me. Layla spent the night at the hotel where we've organized for the wedding to take place. This is our special

day, and we're having it properly. She can't see me until I walk down the aisle.

Dad's come to our house too. He's all in a suit, which I've never seen him wear before, ready to give me away.

I've got two little flower girls, Serenity and Amandla, both in little-girl-y pink dresses with little white baskets of white and pink rose petals, which they're very excited about scattering all over the aisle. Ryan is going to be our little ring bearer.

There isn't a best man, but Lynn's going to be my maid of honour, in a drapy, silky cream dress and a mini version of my own veil, minus the blue jewels in the tiara, and we're fine with that.

I'm uneasy about inviting Cara and Molly, but we could hardly stop them. We've seated them at the table furthest away from the top table, where Mom and Dad are sitting together, which could get slightly awkward, I guess. Oh well. They'll have to deal with it.

Mom helps me do my make up, and then we drive to the hotel, where we check into the room that we're supposed to get dressed in.

Mom is wearing a long cream dress with swirly lines of jewels down it and a pair of strappy high heeled sandals. She looks gorgeous, probably prettier than me, although she insists that I'm prettier.

Charlie brings my little flower girls and Lynn to our room when they arrive. Layla's sister-in-law, who, I'm told, is joining Scott at the head table, as her parents aren't coming, is dressed in a floor-length peachy-pink dress that looks like it's made from lace. It has a jewelled belt, but other than that, it's pretty simple, but still beautiful.

We all get dressed, and, my dress, with it's many, many buttons, takes about 15 minutes to do up. It's uncomfortable, and I can't wait to change, because I did bring a white, flimsy, silk dress to change into for the dancing later on.

Charlie and Mom help the little girls into their dresses, which they can step into, useful for not ruining their curled hair. Lynn's in her outfit too.

Mom hands Serenity and Amandla their baskets of petals, and instructs them not to throw them up in the air, but to scatter them on the ground, gently.

Lynn picks up her bouquet, which is a small bunch of cream and pale pink roses, quite similar to mine, which is almost exactly the same as mine, apart from the fact that mine is huge, and unnecessarily heavy.

The photographer comes in and takes several pictures of us all, and even more of just me.

After the hotographer, whose name is Carole, leaves, Mom and Charlie both kiss my cheek, and wish me luck, and then they unwillingly go, leaving Lynn and I to look after the little girls. Lynn touches up my lip-gloss quickly, and then there's a knock at the door.

"Come in." I call.

The door edges open, and Dad peeks through the gap before entering the room.

"You look beautiful, darling." He says, smiling at me.

"Thank you." I smile; suddenly shy, for some unknown reason.

Dad picks up my bouquet and hands it to me.

"I think it's showtime, guys." Lynn announces, kissing my cheek, "Good luck, Ann."

Lynn herds the two little girls down the hallway to the door leading into the room where the wedding's taking place. My maid of honour gets the two little girls side-by-side, ready to go down the aisle first. She stands behind them, and then Dad and I go behind her. I take a deep breath as the doors open, and the music starts to play.

Amandla and Serenity start down the aisle, throwing the petals down to the ground softly. Lynn waits until they are a few steps ahead of her, and then she starts to walk down. We wait until the little girls are half way down the space between the chairs, and then we start to walk down too.

Layla's got her back to me, although I know she's desperate to look back, after all she's heard about my dress from Charlie, she's never seen it, I wouldn't let her, though. When the little girls arrive at the alter, she glances back and grins at me. Charlie's put her hair in a bun as promised, and she looks like an angel.

Lynn moves across to join the little ones to the left of the alter, and, whispering in my ear, "Good luck, my beautiful little girl", Dad passes my arm to Layla, and goes to sit with Mom and Charlie at the front.

I pass Lynn my bouquet, and we sing a couple hymns before we come to the actual marriage part.

Luckily, we aren't expected to repeat the vows, we just have to say 'I do' which is perfectly okay for me. We swap rings, listening to Charlie and Mom sob away. Mine is a gold band with three tiny diamonds on it, and Layla's is just a plain gold band.

We sign the marriage papers and then Ryan joins the bridal party on the way back up the aisle.

We stand in the foyer, getting a glass of champagne each as everyone else files out of the room where the marriage just took place and joins us. I get a million 'congratulations' and compliments on my dress, and then Layla, the bridesmaids, Lynn, Ryan, Carole and I go outside for pictures, along with a bunch of other people.

We get several pictures of just the two of us, standing up, sitting on a bench, the lot. Then we add in Lynn, Amandla and Serenity. Then Ryan joins us for a couple photos. We get one with my parents in it, and then one with Charlie and Scott, and then some with all four. We take pictures of everyone we invited from Coates, and then the whole family, Cara and Molly excluded, although Dad wanted them, Mom and I refused.

After what feels like an age of photo-taking, we go back in, and get another glass of champagne before it's dinner time. The little kids go next door with a couple of ladies we've hired to look after them. Everyone goes in and sits down, and then the waiter standing by the door says, "Could you all please welcome your bridal party!"

Everyone claps as Mom, Dad, Charlie, Scott and Lynn go in and sit at their places at the head table. When they're settled, the waiter calls, "And now could you all welcome your brides!"

The pair of us go in and sit in the middle of the table as everyone claps for us. Before we eat, we have to do the speeches. Luckily, I'm not expected to give one, but Dad, Layla, Scott and Lynn are all going to.

Dad starts, saying, "Well, I was extremely proud to walk my beautiful daughter down the aisle today, but I was never so happy about the thought of doing a speech. I've been on all the different websites for helping on these, and, I must say, none of them were much help. I was quite shocked when I found out about Annie, honestly. Her mother told me out of the blue and I'm pretty sure I was in shock for the rest of the day. I didn't actually get a say in what you were called, Annie, but your name suits you so well now!

I believe I'm now expected to tell you all about Annie when she was little. She was a menace! Always into trouble at school, I still remember getting the call that you'd cut off half off another girl's hair! And so, after you were expelled from your what seemed like millionth school, we decided to send you to Coates, which is where both your mother and I went to. And I bet Annie's glad we made that decision, because if we hadn't, this ceremony probably would never have taken place!

I know it was hard on Annie when her mom and I split up, but she made another golden friend in Molly, my fiance's daughter. Yes, Annie has had a very eventful life, but meeting Layla was one of the better events, and I daresay today will be the shining star in your book of memories, Annie. Congratulations sweetheart."

Everyone claps as Dad sits down, and Lynn stands up, "Okay. So here comes the moment I've been dreading. Not the food-the speech. I was enormously grateful when Annie asked me to be her maid of honour. We were very close when she was a little kid, and we're still best friends now!"

She continues her speech, and then Scott gives his, full of digs at Layla, and then Layla gives her speech, which makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

After the speeches, we have our dinner, and Lynn, along with one of her friends from University hand out favours.

After dinner, we go through to the next room, for the dancing. Layla and I do the first dance, and we dance to 'In My Life/A Heart Full Of Love' from Les Miserables, which we both love.

After about half of the dancing, I gather Lynn and she takes me down to our room to change into the little white dress. I get into the silk dress, and my little white flats, because my heels are killing my feet.

We dance on until 12 o'clock, even though my little bridesmaids are sleeping in our room.

Layla and I decide to stay the night in my house. It was an amazing night, everything I would expect from my wedding.

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**Now that I think about it, this chapter was too short. Sorry! Review and tell me how much you hate me for abandoning you all in this manner! I'm so sowwee! Don't eat me!**

**Toodles-**

**Sophia xoxoxoxoxo**


	21. Chapter 20

**WOw. Am I seriously updating this so fast? I know-you're probably all checking yourselves into mental asylums because you think you're mind's playing tricks on you! No-I'm seriously updating! Whoop whoop!**

**Any-the-hoo thanks to all my wonderful beautiful reviewers who I love and cherish-kisses and hugs to everyone of you! Also-not sure if I've done this in any chapter yet (although I might have)-Thank you to every-amazing-one who has favourited and/or followed my story! I love all of you guys too-many kisses and big bear hugs!**

**DISCLAIMER: I am not the owner of Gone. That pleasure goes to Michael Grant-my hero (or one of them!)**

**In addition to my round up at the end of this story I have left the latest reviewer of my story a personal message. I would have sent this stuff to you personally, but you went under the name of 'Guest' so I couldn't! So stick around at the end of this chapter-Guest!**

**Enjoy this new update then my wonderful readers! (As promised-this is mostly Diana and Caine interaction! Not romantically-yet!)**

**See you at the end!**

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**Diana POV**

I was so proud at Annie's wedding, and so happy that I wasn't expected to make a speech. I did have to sit next to Caine at the top table however, a prospect that I was dreading. In actual fact, it wasn't so bad. He was quite shy too, which I was glad of. It would have been a lot more awkward if he were overly confident.

We just chatted about random stuff, he talked about his upcoming wedding, which was my least favourite part of the day, but he didn't talk about it too much. Instead, we discussed Tinker and Annie and when we thought she should move out to live with her new wife.

The dancing was good. Layla and Annie had decided they wanted to do Scottish dancing, which they had been learning in school that year, for their project on Scotland. Luckily, the DJs were experts on these 'ceilidh' dances, so they walked us through them, and they were all pretty easy to pick up.

Layla and Annie danced a few together before spreading out the dance with different. I danced one with Annie, and one with Layla, and I believe Caine did too, although Cara was anxious that he wouldn't be caught up dancing with me. However, he danced the 'Canadian Barn Dance' with Molly, and I danced it with Ryan, and we sat down together. About five minutes later, the DJ announced that we were going to dance the 'Gay Gordons'. I spotted Cara walking over to us as quickly as she could, so I turned to Caine and said, "How about it then?"

He grinned at me, and said, "Oh, what harm could it do?" Then he put his arm out, and I grabbed it and we went up just as Cara reached where we were sitting.

It was fun, lots of fun. I almost always danced with Caine when we were forced in social dancing in school, apart from the few times when Caine had royally pissed Drake off and he got there first. I did refuse a couple times, only to be screamed at by a teacher and given detention for a week, which I'm sure was part of Drake's evil master plan.

I enjoyed myself, and I'll be the first to admit it, but I wasn't sure Cara would allow Caine anywhere near me after we got off the dance floor. As the dance ended, I caught Annie staring at us both together, smiling gently, and I felt bad. So bad. It looked like all she wanted was for us to be together.

She had plans anyway, because she whispered to one of the DJs, and he announced, "Now, by special request, we're going to have the Dashing White Sargent. So, I want a lady with two gentlemen, or a gentleman with two ladies for this dance!"

Annie walked over slowly and said, "Mom, Dad, come on, it'll be fun."

Caine paused, and in that time, Molly and Cara came over on his side, and Cara said, "Come on, Caine. A dance for your fiancée and your daughter?"

Caine smiled weakly at her, but replied, "I'm sorry, Cara, honey, but I think I've already been taken by these two girls."

I laughed, "Caine's popular tonight, but I'm afraid the bride's always the boss."

Annie giggled, "Yes, that sounds about right. The bride's always the boss. Unless it's to do with the dress's safety. In that case, it appears that Lynn is the boss."

Caine and I laughed with her, and Cara gave me the worst death stares as we went up to dance.

I smile gently to myself as I think about it, and then am brought back to the present moment by Tinker's squeaky yaps.

I stand up and sigh. Annie and Layla are probably still asleep, so I grab the little red leash which always sits by the front door, and call, "Tinker!"

The puppy is sitting, in a begging manner, by my feet in a matter of seconds. She waits patiently, panting, as I hook the leash onto her collar and open the door. She pulls on the leash as we walk down the path, but I yank her back.

Halfway down the road, I see, oh horror of horrors, Caine coming towards me. I look behind him for any sign that Cara and Molly are with him, but, seeing nothing, I relax.

As our paths cross, he stops, and I follow suit.

"Hey." he says, smiling first at me, then at Tinker as she jumps up on him, only reaching his knee.

"Hi." I reply.

"Are the girls at your house, then?" Caine asks, lifting his gaze from Tinker back to me.

"Yeah." I reply, feeling slightly awkward for some unknown reason.

"Mind if I walk with you?" Caine asked, "I've been sent away because Cara's got her maid of honour-to-be over to plan for the wedding."

"Not at all." I say, stepping to my left to make room for him beside me on the pavement.

We both begin to walk down the path to the park where I take Tinker, and then I ask, "I wonder, would Cara be very happy that you're walking with your ex-girlfriend while she's planning for your wedding?"

"I'm engaged, she has no need to worry!" Caine says, "Just because of our history doesn't mean we can't stay friends."

"Well put." I comment.

"Well, I was always an expert at putting things well, was I not?"

"I can't argue with that."

He laughs, and I find myself joining in.

We take Tinker around the park, and then we walk back down the road. Outside of the house, I make a decision that Cara probably wouldn't be very happy with.

"Do you want to come in then, Caine?" I ask, "Seeing as you probably can't go back to your own house. Just for a coffee?"

"I was just waiting for you to say that, Diana." Caine answers, "Yes, thank you."

We go in, and I let Tinker off the leash. We go into the living room, and Layla and Annie are sitting on the couch. Layla's sitting, looking only half awake, watching the telly. Annie is fast asleep with her head falling off the couch and her feet hanging over the top of it.

Layla jerks herself in consiousness as we walk in, "Hey, Diana." she says, and then smiles at Caine, "Hi. Kicked out of your own house, I suppose?"

"Got it in one." Caine replies.

"Ann." Layla mutters in Annie's ear, "Get up."

My daughter groans and opens one eye, then sees both of us and flops off the couch head first, "Dad! What are you doing here?"

"Cara's kicked me out." he replies, "Wedding stuff."

Annie nods, "Cool."

"I'll go make coffee." I offer, heading to the kitchen.

"A cappuchino for me, thanks Mom." Annie calls after me.

**Caine's POV**

As Diana leaves the room, Layla shoves Annie gently. My daughter smiles at me.

"You and Mom can take the kitchen," she tells me, "Layla and I are going to finish season 2 of Doctor Who...again. The Doctor and Rose are just so perfect with each other!"

"You got that right!" Layla agrees, "OTP five-eva!"

Both of them squeal, and then Annie grabs the TV remote and turns it back on.

I smile gently, heading to the kitchen, where Diana is leaning her hand on the kitchen counter, waiting for the coffee machine to finish. She looks up and smiles at me as I walk in. I have no idea why I feel so shy. This is _Diana_, for God's sake! My best friend, at least she used to be, and I've seen her naked. What am I so worried about?

It could be Cara. I know she'd kill me if she knew I was here. In fact, forget killing me, she'd kill Diana first. She's always trying to make out that she's not, but by the way she acts, the way she speaks about my ex, shows how obviously jealous she is of Diana. I think maybe there won't ever be a time when she won't be terrified that Diana will snatch me away and keep me at least ten miles away from her at all times.

She has reason to be scared like this, I suppose. Diana and I have that one big thing in common-Annie. She's the only thing binding us together, making sure that we still see each other, if only occasionally. And I'm known for cheating. She knows it better than anyone else, considering that she _was_ the other woman while I was with Diana. If she could take me away from Diana, I guess her logic is that Diana is more than capable of taking me back.

Well, maybe she is. Diana's a beautiful girl, even now, with her still naturally dark hair, her still perfect, wrinkle-less skin, her perfectly shaped body.

I pull myself out of my thoughts as Diana brushes past me to give Annie her cappuccino.

When she comes back in, she says, "Caine? Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?"

"I'll have a glass of cola, if you have any?" I reply, and she nods, grabbing a glass down from a cupboard, and taking a half empty bottle of coke from the fridge.

She sticks the glass down in front of me, and gets herself a coffee.

"So." She says, obviously lost for words.

I laugh, "Look at the pair of us! Why are we being so shy around each other?"

"It's pretty awkward." She replies, "Or don't you think so, Mr Soren?"

I chuckle.

"Heard from Drake recently?" she asks, "I haven't seen him since dropping out of school because of Ann."

"No, I haven't." I reply, "He's probably in some mental asylum or prison somewhere."

"No doubt." Diana rolls her eyes in the distinctly 'Diana' way I've found myself missing.

"So, how's Annie doing in school, then?" I ask, trying to think of parent like things to say.

"She's talking about University or College." Diana says, and by the way she speaks and looks, I can see how proud she is, "She's good at English, and she wants to study law. She's going for a scholarship."

My eyes widen, "Wow. What school's she trying to get into?"

Diana gives me a very proud smile as she replies, "You'll never believe it-Harvard Law School. Her teachers think she'll get in!"

I'm surprised, but very happy. Imagine that-my daughter at Harvard.

"Can she afford to get in?" I ask.

"If she gets the scholarship, it'll be free." Diana tells me.

I breathe out slowly, "So I take it she has a good chance of getting in."

"Well, I think so, but I might be a little bit biased." Diana answers.

We sit and chat a bit, and then I decide that I better go, because I'm sure Cara will be done planning, and she can hardly make me sleep outside. Luckily, her future maid of honour is long gone, and I'm allowed into the house. I'm dying to tell Cara about Annie and her Harvard scholarship, but she'd want to know where I'd got this information, and I don't think she'd be too pleased that I was at Diana's house.

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**Look-I know it was too short, but it looked longer in Microsoft Word!  
**

**Review! Please-it makes my day!**

**And now, a message to 'Guest', the latest reviewer of my story (You're special, see? In a good way-I mean!)**

**I really wanted to talk to you! Do you have an account? If you do, message me on it with the secret code 'bananacake' (PS other readers-DON'T YOU TROLL ME!)**

**I ship Brekka too! And Rodilio! Tragic stories both of those (SPOILER FOR LIGHT! I won't put it here incase you haven't read it!)**

**Caina always has both of my time lord hearts, but I'm not sure I would call them hopelessly romantic or anything along those lines...more like epicxally brilliant!**

**And 'Cake'. I thought their ship name was 'Draine', but this works too! I was always suspicious about how obsessed with Caine Drake was...hmmmmm...I ship it!**

**An additional ship-Siana (Sam and Diana)...I just thought he would treat Diana so much better than Caine did...Sam was always the nicer twin-and I wouldn't pass up a chance to kill Astrid, so this is fine for me too!**

**And-End message to 'Guest'!**

**Hope you all enjoyed this new update-REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Please-it only take a few seconds (slight exaggeration)!**

**Toodles-**

**Sophia xxooxxoo:)**


	22. Author's Note 2

**Dear Readers**

**First off, I'm sorry. Really sorry. Writer's block is crushing me at the moment, and I have lots going on right now, which I'll explain in more detail later on. this is, unfortunately, just an Author's Note. I'm sorry about that too, if I got your hopes up that I'd updated and then I actually hadn't. **

**Right so, I know recently I've been a really horrible updater. This time, I think it's been more than a couple months, which is crazy. I know you probably aren't wanting excuses, but I'll give you them anyway, in case of curiosity. I'm not sure if I've mentioned befofe, but I don't actually have a laptop and/or computer to myself. I share an iMac with the rest of my family, so I don't have as much time to write as I would like. This isn't the main reason for lousy updating so far. I'm really freaking lazy-as any of my friends/family members will tell you, which does, in part, come into why I haven't updated in so long. (A huge part actually, I won't lie...). The main reason is, quite simply, that my family are moving house. **

**Basically, we live in the outskirts of Glasgow at the moment, and we're moving up to Aberdeen. We were supposed to be moving in May, but (obviously) that didn't happen, because the house wasn't done etc. We should be going up there in two/three weeks. It's super busy with clearing out and packing up etc. etc. so that's a big part of not updating. Also, I puked my guts up twice last night (just thought I'd throw that in there to prove how much of a mess my life is at the moment. **

**I'm sorry guys, I really don't have any excuse, because if I had really really tried (goddamn writer's block), I probably could have updated already. I will try (emphasis on ****_try_****) to update at least once before the move, but this is not a promise or anything, so don't hold me to it! After we move, I'm hoping that my updating will improve (again, no promises), but we'll just have to wait and see!**

**Thanks for putting up with me guys, I don't deserve it!**

**Toodles-**

**Sophia xo**


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